CYTOTOXIC LYMPHOCYTE MATURATION FACTOR AND MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES DIRECTED THERETO

摘要

The present invention relates to a novel cytokine protein called Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Maturation Factor (CLMF) which is produced and synthesized by a human B lymphoblastoid cell line. CLMF synergistically induces in the presence of low concentrations of IL-2 the cytolytic activity of Lymphokine Activated Killer (LAK) cells. CLMF is also capable of stimulating T-cell growth. The present invention also relates to cloned genes coding for CLMF proteins and derivatives thereof, to recombinant vectors comprising a polynucleotide encoding a CLMF protein, to microorganisms transformed with the said recombinant vectors, to antibodies directed to the said proteins as well as to processes for the preparation of the said proteins, vectors and antibodies. Furthermore the present invention relates to methods for: stimulating LAK cells, T-cells or Natural Killer Cells using the said CLMF protein.