TUMOR SURFACE PROTEIN AND ITS COMPLEMENTARY SURFACE RECEPTOR ON NAIVE NATURAL KILLER CELLS

摘要

The invention is an isolated and purified cell surface protein of about 38.5 kD expressed by tumor cells susceptible to cell-mediated lysis by naive Natural Killer (NK) cells. The invention also includes an isolated and purified membrane protein of about 70 kD which is characteristically expressed by naive Natural Killer (NK) cells and which binds to tumor cells that are susceptible to natural killer (NK) cell-mediated lysis. The 70 kD protein binds to the 38.5 kD tumor cell surface protein. The invention also includes nucleic acids containing gene fragments and/or genes for the cell surface proteins, and amino acid sequences. The invention further includes antibodies to the proteins and to fragments of the proteins. Diagnostic methods for identifying tumor cells susceptible to natural killer (NK) cell-mediated lysis are also included. The invention also includes methods for determining the number of natural killer (NK) cells in a biological sample.