| abstract |
This invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein from the surface of activated T cells, wherein the protein is necessary for T cell activation of B cells. The nucleic acid molecule may include a DNA molecule or a cDNA molecule. This invention further provides a gene transfer vector including the nucleic acid molecule operably linked to a promoter of RNA transcription. The vector may be a plasmid or a viral vector. This invention further provides a host vector system including the gene transfer vector in a suitable host cell. The transformed yeast or a stably transformed mammalian cell. This invention further provides a method of producing a T cell surface protein necessary for T cell activation of B cells which includes growing the host vector system under conditions permitting production of the protein, followed by recovering the protein so produced. This invention further provides for methods to inhibit humoral immune responses, immunoglobulin production and B cell activation with 5C8-specific antibodies. |