METHOD FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF EXTRACELLULAR DOMAINS OF THE EPSTEIN BARR VIRUS (EBV), TUMOR-ASSOCIATED LATENT MEMBRANE PROTEINS AND FOR THE SELECTION OF ANTIBODY REAGENTS REACTIVE THEREWITH

摘要

Described are a method for the identification of extracellular epitopes of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) encoded membrane proteins, expressed on the outer cell surface of EBV-transformed mammalian cells, methods for the selection and preparation of antibody reagents specific for the said epitopes, as well as peptides, comprising extracellular domains of Epstein Barr Virus encoded tumour cell associated membrane proteins, the use of said peptide for immunisation and therapeutic vaccination to induce antibodies and T-cells reactive with said domains, and the use of said antibody reagents for the production of targeting cells, tumour cell purging and as diagnostic for and medicament against EBV-mediated malignant cell growth.