Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Maturation Factor

摘要

The present invention relates to a novel subunit of the cytokine protein called Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Maturation Factor (CLMF) which is produced and synthesized by a human B lymphoblastoid cell line. CLMF synergistically induces in the presence of low concentrations of IL-2 the cytolytic activity of Lymphokine Activated Killer (LAK) cells. CLMF is also capable of stimulating T-cell growth. The present invention also relates to cloned genes coding for the novel proteins and derivatives thereof, to recombinant vectors comprising a polynucleotide encoding said proteins, to microorganisms transformed with the said recombinant vectors, to antibodies directed to the said proteins as well as to processes for the preparation of the said proteins, vectors and antibodies.