Mutant ciita molecule and uses thereof

摘要

A polypeptide that comprises the amino acid sequence of a class II trans activator (CIITA) protein from the N-terminus of which amino acid residues are missing such that the resulting polypeptide reduces the expression of MHC class II antigens is useful in the treatment of autoimmune disease and in the production of transgenic donor animals for xenografts and in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Ribozymes targeting bases 1159-1161 of human CIITA are also useful, as are nucleic acids encoding the polypeptide and the ribozyme.