Novel scavenger receptors having an SR structure and a collectin-like
structure are provided, which can be utilized in the elucidation of
mechanisms of macrophage and basic immunity; in the elucidation of
mechanisms of the development of a wide variety of diseases such as
arteriosclerosis, diabetic complications and Alzheimer's disease, hyper
.beta.-lipoproteinemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypo
.alpha.-lipoproteinemia, transplantation, atherectomy, post angiogenic
restenosis, bacterial infections; in the diagnostic, prophylactic and
therapeutic methods thereof; and in the development of reagents and drugs
for the same. The novel scavenger receptors include proteins comprising
an amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4 or 24 or proteins
having equivalent properties to the same, or derivatives or fragments
thereof as well as isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleotide
sequence encoding these proteins, and related molecules such as
antibodies, antagonists and the like. Also disclosed are methods for the
treatment using the same.