Abstract: The present invention generally embraces the treatment of diseases by targeting cells expressing an antigen on the cell surface. In particular the invention relates to recombinant antigen receptors and uses thereof. T cells engineered to express such antigen receptors are useful in the treatment of diseases characterized by expression of one or more antigens bound by the antigen receptors.

Abstract: The present invention generally embraces the treatment of diseases by targeting cells expressing an antigen on the cell surface. In particular the invention relates to recombinant antigen receptors and uses thereof. T cells engineered to express such antigen receptors are useful in the treatment of diseases characterized by expression of one or more antigens bound by the antigen receptors.

Abstract: The present invention generally embraces the treatment of diseases by targeting cells expressing an antigen on the cell surface. In particular the invention relates to recombinant antigen receptors and uses thereof. T cells engineered to express such antigen receptors are useful in the treatment of diseases characterized by expression of one or more antigens bound by the antigen receptors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a single chain antigen recognizing construct (scARC), which is composed of stabilized variable domains by the introduction of novel disulfide bonds, in order to prevent residual mis-pairing with endogenous ARC chains. The invention further discloses a method for the design of a novel structurally stabilized scARC, the method being based on the visual inspection of the crystal structure of the underlying scARC and the selection of appropriate amino acid substitutions to generate a novel disulfide bond in the protein structure. Furthermore, the invention discloses a method for the production of a cell which expresses the scARC of the invention. Also described are nucleic acids encoding an inventive scARC, as well as DNA and RNA constructs that allow for the expression of the inventive scARC.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a single chain antigen recognizing construct (scARC), which is composed of stabilized variable domains by the introduction of novel disulfide bonds, in order to prevent residual mis-pairing with endogenous ARC chains. The invention further discloses a method for the design of a novel structurally stabilized scARC, the method being based on the visual inspection of the crystal structure of the underlying scARC and the selection of appropriate amino acid substitutions to generate a novel disulfide bond in the protein structure. Furthermore, the invention discloses a method for the production of a cell which expresses the scARC of the invention. Also described are nucleic acids encoding an inventive scARC, as well as DNA and RNA constructs that allow for the expression of the inventive scARC.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a cell line expressing a stabilized functional single chain-antigen-recognizing genetic construct (scARC), comprising a genetic construct of the human scARC to be expressed, comprising the domains huV1/2-Li-huV2/1-C4/3 and a genetic construct comprising the corresponding hetero-/(homo-)dimeric domain C3/4, containing xenogenic, in its special case murine amino acid exchanges in the domains C4/3 and C3/4, wherein co-expression of the genetic constructs of the scARC-fragments occurs through the cell. Preferably, the scARCs are single chain-TCRs (scTCRs) or antibody-scFv-fragments, which further preferably recognize tumor associated peptide antigens (TAA). The present invention further relates to a gp100-protein-specific T-cell response mediated ?/? T-cell receptor rationally mutated by means of the method of the present invention and its uses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a cell line expressing a stabilized functional single chain-antigen-recognizing genetic construct (scARC), comprising a genetic construct of the human scARC to be expressed, comprising the domains huV1/2—Li-huV2/1—C4/3 and a genetic construct comprising the corresponding hetero-/(homo-)dimeric domain C3/4, containing xenogenic, in its special case murine amino acid exchanges in the domains C4/3 and C3/4, wherein co-expression of the genetic constructs of the scARC-fragments occurs through the cell. Preferably, the scARCs are single chain-TCRs (scTCRs) or antibody-scFv-fragments, which further preferably recognize tumor associated peptide antigens (TAA). The present invention further relates to a gp100-protein-specific T-cell response mediated ?/? T-cell receptor rationally mutated by means of the method of the present invention and its uses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a single chain antigen recognizing construct (scARC), which is composed of stabilized variable domains by the introduction of novel disulfide bonds, in order to prevent residual mis-pairing with endogenous ARC chains. The invention further discloses a method for the design of a novel structurally stabilized scARC, the method being based on the visual inspection of the crystal structure of the underlying scARC and the selection of appropriate amino acid substitutions to generate a novel disulfide bond in the protein structure. Furthermore, the invention discloses a method for the production of a cell which expresses the scARC of the invention. Also described are nucleic acids encoding an inventive scARC, as well as DNA and RNA constructs that allow for the expression of the inventive scARC.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a cell line expressing a stabilized functional single chain-antigen-recognizing genetic construct (scARC), comprising a genetic construct of the human scARC to be expressed, comprising the domains huV1/2—Li-huV2/1—C4/3 and a genetic construct comprising the corresponding hetero-/(homo-)dimeric domain C3/4, containing xenogenic, in its special case murine amino acid exchanges in the domains C4/3 and C3/4, wherein co-expression of the genetic constructs of the scARC-fragments occurs through the cell. Preferably, the scARCs are single chain-TCRs (scTCRs) or antibody-scFv-fragments, which further preferably recognize tumor associated peptide antigens (TAA). The present invention further relates to a gp100-protein-specific T-cell response mediated ?/? T-cell receptor rationally mutated by means of the method of the present invention and its uses.

Abstract: The invention relates to a universal tumour-associated oligopeptide, which is recognised by CD8-positive cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) as a peptide antigen and which causes a CTL-induced lysis and/or apoptosis of tumour or leukaemia cells. The oligopeptide has the amino acid sequence LLGDLFGV, which corresponds to the amino acid positions 81 to 88 of the hdm2 proto-oncoprotein, or an amino acid sequence that can be derived from said sequence, which constitutes the functional equivalent of the amino acid sequence LLGDLFGV. Said oligopeptide constitutes an epitope for CD8-positive CTLs and is suitable for inducing a restricted immune response of CD8-positive CTLs to the human leukocyte antigen of the molecular group MHC class I, allelomorph variant A2, against tumour and leukaemia cells.

Abstract: The invention relates to polypeptides of a murine &agr;/&bgr; T-cell receptor mediating a p53 protein-specific T-cell response or functional variants or parts thereof or nucleic acids coding therefor, functional variants or parts thereof. Said polypeptides enable p53 protein-expressing cells to be recognized by T-cells provided with these genes, cytokines can be released, and T-cell induced lysis and/or apoptosis of tumor or leukemia cells can be performed.