Patents

The invention relates to an isolated bioactive molecule Caerulomycin A, derivatives and analogs thereof as effective immunosuppressive agents. The immunosuppressive property of the compound is targeted in particular against the lymphocytes, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and B cells and in the production of IL-4 and IFN-? and antibodies. The compound operates through a mechanism by downregulating the expression of activation marker CD28 and upregulating the immunosuppressive marker CTLA-4. Caerulomycin A has previously been isolated from Streptomyces caeruleus and found to have useful antifungal activity. Prior to the invention, however, this compound had not been determined to have immunomodulatory activity.