A MULTIVALENT MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX PEPTIDE FUSION PROTEIN FOR MODULATING SPECIFIC T CELL FUNCTION

摘要

The present invention describes a soluble fusion protein composed of a plurality of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules linked together by a stabilizing structure herein referred to as the "linker", the MHC molecules being loaded with a specific peptide or peptides. Such fusion proteins can be used as a method for stimulating or inhibiting specific T cell clones expressing T cell receptors (TCR) restricted to the specific MHC-peptide combination. Such fusion proteins can thus be used as delivery systems to stimulate T cell immunity and as a treatment for diseases such as transplant rejection or autoimmunity.