Patent ID: 6815171
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: A61K,A61P,C07K,G01N

Abstract:
A method for detecting or quantifying in a biological sample the presence of T-cells having a receptor specific for a specified antigen, comprising:combining the biological sample with a recombinant polypeptide comprising covalently linked &agr;1 and &bgr;1 domains of a mammalian MHC class II molecule wherein the carboxy terminus of the &bgr;1 domain is covalently linked to the amino terminus of the &agr;1 domain, and further comprising the specified antigen bound in a peptide binding groove formed by said &agr;1 and &bgr;1 domains, and wherein the recombinant polypeptide does not include an &agr;2 or a &bgr;2 domain; and detecting or quantifying in the biological sample the presence of specific binding of the recombinant polypeptide by T-cells having a receptor specific for the specified antigen.