INTERLEUKIN-1 beta DELETION MUTANT

An Interleukin-1 beta deletion mutant, which has a quasi conserved sequence of three amino acids deleted from the amino acid sequence of an endogenous mammalian Interleukin-1 beta is disclosed. The deletion is Ser Asn Asp (numbers 52-54 of mature human IL-1 beta ) in the case of human, mouse, rat and rabbit, and Arg Asp Asn in the case of bovine and sheep Interleukin-1 beta . The Interleukin-1 beta deletion mutant is shown to be an Interleukin-1 receptor ligand which binds to both Interleukin-1 type I receptors and Interleukin-1 type II receptors with substantially different binding-affinities. The ligand may have additional amino acid deletion(s) and/or point mutation(s). The Interleukin-1 beta deletion mutants may be used as carriers and adjuvants for biologically active molecules as well as in therapeutic and/or prophylactic agent. An Interleukin-1(beta) deletion mutant, which has a quasi conserved sequence of three amino acids deleted from the amino acid sequence of an endogenous mammalian Interleukin-1(beta) is disclosed. The deletion is Ser Asn Asp (numbers 52-54 of mature human IL-1(beta)) in the case of human, mouse, rat and rabbit, and Arg Asp Asn in the case of bovine and sheep Interleukin-1(beta). The Interleukin-1(beta) deletion mutant is shown to be an Interleukin-1 receptor ligand which binds to both Interleukin-1 type I receptors and Interleukin-1 type II receptors with substantially different binding-affinities. The ligand may have additional amino acid deletion(s) and/or point mutation(s). The Interleukin-1(beta) deletion mutants may be used as carriers and adjuvants for biologically active molecules as well as in therapeutic and/or prophylactic agent. L'invention se rapporte à un mutant de délétion de l'interleukine-1beta qui possède une séquence quasi conservée de trois amino-acides supprimés de la séquence d'amino-acides d'une Interleukine-1beta endogène d'un mammifère. La délétion est Ser Asn Asp (nombres 52-54 de l'IL-1beta humaine mature) dans le cas d'un être humain, d'une souris, d'un rat et d'un lapin, et Arg Asp Asn dans le cas de l'Interleukine-1beta du bovin et du mouton. Le mutant de délétion de l'Interleukine-1beta se révèle être un ligand du récepteur de l'Interleukine-1 qui se lie à la fois aux récepteurs de type I de l'Interleukine-1 et aux récepteurs de type II de l'Interleukine-1 avec des affinités de liaison sensiblement différentes. Le ligand peut avoir une (des) délétion(s) supplémentaire(s) d'amino-acides et/ou une(d