ISOLATED HIGH AFFINITY ENTITIES WITH T-CELL RECEPTOR LIKE SPECIFICITY TOWARDS NATIVE COMPLEXES OF MHC CLASS II AND GLUTAMIC ACID DECARBOXYLASE (GAD) AUTOANTIGENIC PEPTIDES

摘要

Provided are isolated complexes comprising a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and a type I diabetes-associated GAD autoantigenic peptide, the isolated complex having a structural conformation which enables isolation of a high affinity entity which comprises an antigen binding domain capable of specifically binding to a native conformation of a complex composed of the MHC class II and the type I diabetes-associated GAD autoantigenic peptide. Also provided are isolated high affinity entities comprising an antigen binding domain capable of specifically binding a complex composed of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and a type I diabetes-associated GAD autoantigenic peptide, wherein the isolated high affinity entity does not bind to the MHC class II in an absence of the diabetes-associated GAD autoantigenic peptide, wherein the isolated high affinity entity does not bind to the diabetes-associated GAD autoantigenic peptide in an absence of the MHC class II; and methods and kits using same for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.