Inflammation

Cell culture studies identified two TSLPR-CD127 fusion proteins that could help treat allergy. One fusion protein consisted of the full extracellular domain of TSLPR linked to the N-terminus of the extracellular domain of CD127; the other consisted of the full CD127 extracellular domain linked to the N-terminus of TSLPR. In HEK cell-based assays, the fusion proteins inhibited activity of the allergic inflammation marker TSLP with IC₅₀ values of 67 and 44 pM, whereas tezepelumab, an antibody that blocks the TSLP-TSLPR interaction, inhibited TSLP activity with an IC₅₀ of 1.4 nM. In primary human dendritic cells pretreated with TSLP, the fusion proteins decreased cell activation - a marker of allergic inflammation - compared with tezepelumab. Next steps include testing the fusion proteins in animal models of allergy...