申请人:Caulfield Michael J.
公开号:US20110014226A1
公开(公告)日:2011-01-20
A method to identify small molecules useful as therapeutics and/or vaccines to prevent, alleviate or ameliorate a pathogenic infection or an autoimmune disorder. The method can be used to screen small molecule test compounds for the ability to disrupt particular antigen-antibody interactions of interest. In one embodiment, the antigen is a pathogen-derived antigen and the antibody decreases or inhibits virulence of the pathogen when bound to the antigen (e.g., a neutralizing antibody, antibody with serum bactericidal activity, etc.). In another embodiment, the antigen is a self-antigen (autoantigen) and the antibody is an autoantibody that is known to be associated with a pathological condition (e.g., autoimmune disorder). Compounds that bind to the antigen or antibody disrupt binding can be used as therapeutics to decrease or inhibit the autoimmune disorder.