| abstract |
Immune cells having predefined specificity are obtained by either complexing the cells with an antigen-specific MHC-restricted chimeric T cell receptor (TCR) or a fragment thereof, or transfecting said cells with an antigen-specific MHC-restricted chimeric TCR gene. The chimeric TCR comprises: (i) a first segment comprising either (a) a single-chain TCR (scFv-TCR) made of the variable (V) region and, optionally, of either the extracellular constant (C) region of an antigen-specific TCR, or of the constant region of the immunoglobulin kappa light chain (Ck); or (b) a two-chain TCR (tcFv-TCR) made of the extracellular variable (V) and constant (C) regions of an antigen-specific TCR; and (ii) a second segment comprising a signal transducing element of an immune cell. The immune cells can be used for example for the treatment of cancer, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases or graft rejection. |