| abstract |
(57) SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides ligands and fragments thereof for receptors on the surface of certain specific binding partners, particularly activated T-cells, such as activated CD4 + T-cells, Mutants, mutants or derivatives. A representative ligand is based on the ligand designated ACT-4-Lh-1. A preferred fragment comprises the extracellular domain of the ligand. Further, the invention provides certain binding moieties having specificity for the above specific binding partners. Suitable binding moieties include humanized and human antibodies to the ligand. The invention further provides nucleic acid segments encoding such specific binding partners or binding components, as well as expression vectors and cell lines containing them. The present invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising specific binding partners or binding components and methods of using the specific binding partners and binding components in the treatment of various diseases and conditions of the immune system. Also provided are methods for tennating activated T-cells, such as activated CD4 + T-cells, using specific binding partners or fragments thereof, and kits for use in those methods. Provided by the invention. |