Tumortherapie durch adoptiven Transfer CD44v-spezifischer zytotoxischer T-Lymphozyten

摘要

The invention concerns a fusion protein containing a first portion having a specific affinity for an amino acid sequence which is coded by a variant exon of the CD44 gene, and a second portion which contains the amino acid sequence of a subunit of the T-cell receptor complex or an immunoglobulin receptor or part of this subunit. Preferably, the first portion contains a variable domain of an antibody which is specific for variant CD44 (CD44v), in particular CD44v6. The invention further concerns a nucleic acid molecule which codes for such a fusion protein. The substances according to the invention are suitable for treating tumours by the adoptive transfer of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes which destroy tumour cells expressing one or a plurality of variant epitopes of the CD44 gene on their cell surface. For example, a nucleic acid molecule according to the invention can be introduced into corresponding lymphocytes and the lymphocytes thus modified can be administered to a patient.