Multicomponent conjugates which bind to target molecules and stimulate T cell lysis

摘要

The invention relates to immunoconjugates of formula: A-B-(C)_n where B may be present or absent, A is a specific binding protein such as an antibody or an antibody binding fragment, or a ligand binding to a receptor present on target cells B comprises at least one molecule to which "A" and "C" bind, such as an avidin/streptavidin complex, "C" is an MHC molecule, and "n" is a whole number ranging from 1 to 10. The conjugates provide the exquisite binding specificity of antibodies, combined with an ability to stimulate cytotoxic T cells to identify and to destroy cells on which the conjugate is bound and oligomerized. The conjugates are useful both therapeutically and diagnostically.