MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY FRAGMENTS HAVING IMMUNOSUPPRESSANT ACTIVITY

摘要

The invention comprises monovalent mAb fragments (Fab) of mAb which have the ability of downregulate HLA-DR expression on antigen presenting cells. The Fab fragments can downregulate such HLA-DR expression without the cytotoxicity of the parent mAb or of bivalent fragments (F(ab)'2) of the mAb. The Fab fragments of the invention are therefore potent, class II MHC-specific immunosuppressive compounds without cytotoxic side effects.