Institut Pasteur and Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique

Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd.

David Ojcius

Saul Yedgar

Gershon Golomb

Philippe Kourilsky

Reuven Reich

Miron Krimsky

Jean-Pierre Abastado

Yu-Chun Lone

Moshe Ligumski

Estelle Mottez

Armanda Casrouge

Isaac Ginsburg

Abd-Al-Roof Higazi

Benito Antonio Yard

Fokko Johannes Van Der Woude

An altered MHC class I determinant comprises .alpha..sub.1, .alpha..sub.2, .alpha..sub.3, .beta..sub.2 -microglobulin (.beta..sub.2 m) polypeptide domains encoded by a mammalian MHC class I locus in which the .alpha..sub.3 domain is covalently linked to the .beta..sub.2 M domain. An altered MHC class II determinant comprises .alpha..sub.1, .alpha..sub.2, .beta..sub.1, and .beta..sub.2 polypeptide domains encoded by a mammalian MHC class II locus, in which the domains are covalently linked to form a polypeptide comprising the .beta..sub.2 -.alpha..sub.2 -.alpha..sub.1 -.beta..sub.1 domains in sequence. The altered MHC class I and class II determinants can be associated with an antigen to elicit an immune response. The invention can be used in the immunization or treatment of diseases such as AIDS, multiple sclerosis, lupus erythematosus, toxic shock or snake bite.

Altered major histocompatibility complex (MHC) determinant and methods

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Vincennes, France

David Ojcius