| abstract |
A modified human TNFα molecule is capable of raising neutralizing antibodies towards unmodified human TNFα following administration of the modified TNFα to a human host, wherein one or more peptide fragments of the human TNFα molecule has been substituted by one or more peptides containing immunodominant T cell epitopes or a truncated form of the molecule containing the immunodominant epitope and one or both flanking regions of the human TNFα-molecule containing at least one TNFα B cell epitope, wherein the substitution introduces a substantial change in the amino acid sequence of any one of the strands of the front β-sheet, in any one of the connecting loops, or in any one of the B′, I, or D strands of the back β-sheet. |