Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Malcolm L Gefter

Mark S Ptashne

Jean G Guillet

Jacqueline Sharon

Chimeric antibodies comprised of the variable region of an antibody chain contiguous with a polypeptide other than the constant region of that antibody chain are disclosed. Such chimeric antibodies can be comprised of the variable region of a chain of an immunoglobulin of selected specificity and an extrinsic polypeptide. In addition to the variable region of a chain of an immunoglobulin of selected specifity and an extrinsic polypeptide, the chimeric antibodies can include at least a portion of the constant region of an immunoglob

Chimeric antibodies

Novel methods or compositions are provided for modulating the immune system, so as to be able to selectively stimulate or inactivate lymphocytes in relation to a particular transplantation antigen content. Particularly, mixtures may be employed associated with the more common transplanatation antigens of a host population. In this manner, a large number of people can be treated, for example, by immunization, stimulation of particular T-cells or B-cells in relation to a pathogenic invasion of other aberrant state, e.g. neoplasia, treatment of autoimmune diseases, and the like. Particularly, the compositions may involve an oligopeptide involving as a first region a consensus sequence and an epitope or the first region may be joined to a second region comprising an antibody target sequence which is capable of competing with an epitopic site of an antigen of interest.

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Weston, MA, United States of America

Malcolm L Gefter