Antibodies and fragments thereof to fas ligand and fas ligand derived polypeptides

Abstract

This invention provides a novel polypeptide useful in the field of medicines, a novel DNA which encodes the novel polypeptide, a recombinant DNA molecule which contains the novel DNA, a transformant transformed with the novel DNA or the recombinant DNA molecule, a process for the purification of the novel polypeptide, a process for the production of the novel polypeptide, an antibody which recognizes the novel polypeptide, an oligonucleotide complementary to the novel DNA and a novel screening method. Particularly this invention provides a novel polypeptide which is Fas ligand or a fragment thereof. This novel polypeptide can be used as an effective ingredient of a medicament for regulating the apoptosis in a living body. This novel polypeptide is obtained by identifying a DNA fragment which encodes the novel polypeptide, transforming a desired host with a recombinant DNA molecule which contains the DNA fragment and purifying the novel polypeptide produced by the resulting transformant. This novel polypeptide has a cytoplasmic domain, a transmembrane domain and extracellular domain and takes part in apoptosis.