摘要 |
Methods and compositions for modulating protein function in a cell involving intracellular expression of an antibody homologue that binds to the protein within the cell are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, an antibody homologue, such as a single chain Fv (sFv) fragment, is expressed within an intracellular compartment of a cell, such as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), to inhibit cell surface expression of a membrane protein. Preferably, the cell is a malignant mammalian cell and the protein is a cell surface receptor oncoprotein, such as erbB2. Intracellular binding of the antibody homologue to the receptor oncoprotein inhibits its surface expression and, moreover, inhibits cell proliferation and cell survival. Isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding anti-c-erbB2 antibody homologues, as well as recombinant expression ventors and host cells incorporating these nucleic acid molecules, are also disclosed.
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