Agricultural Research Service

February 25, 2000

The invention relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding a bovine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-I. Also, within the invention is a soluble bovine TNF-RI which is a potent inhibitor of bovine tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a). TNF-a is a pleiotropic cytokine, and is produced by activated macrophages/monocytes and lymphocytes. It is also a potent mediator in inflammatory and immune responses including the recruitment of leukocytes to injured tissues during bacterial and other microbial infections, and following stimulation with inflammatory substances. The invention demonstrates that soluble bovine TNF-RI has therapeutic value as an inhibitor of TNF in cattle suffering from coliform mastitis, or other inflammatory disease. The invention features a pharmaceutical composition, including one or more soluble, functional polypeptide fragments of bovine TNF-RI and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. It also provides a kit which includes at least one unit dose of the described pharmaceutical composition.

Marcus E. Kherli, Jr. National Animal Disease Center Ames, IA 50010 (515) 663-7201	Michael J. Taylor Iowa State University Ames, IA 50010 (515) 294-4740
Eun-Kyung Lee (Same address & phone as first inventor)

pharmaceutical, cytokines, bovine, tumor necrosis factor, polypeptide, antibodies, nucleic acid, coliform mastitis, inflammatory disease