Patent ID: 6998108

Claim:
An isolated or recombinant antibody or a binding fragment thereof that specifically recognizes a p30 polypeptide or a p30 polypeptide fragment thereof wherein the p30 polypeptide is isolated from phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or PMA and ionomycin activated II-23.D7 human CD4+T cell (PTA6673) by: i) providing a detergent extract of activated II-23.D7 human CD4+ T cells; ii) contacting the detergent extract with a composition comprising a 55 to 60 kDa TNF receptor (TNFR) to produce an extract depleted of any LTα; iii) contacting the depleted extract with an HSV entry mediator protein (HVEM) to produce an HVEM-p30 polypeptide complex; and iv) reacting the HVEM-p30 polypeptide complex with 8 M urea and purifying the p30 polypeptide by gel chromatography; wherein the p30 polypeptide comprises the following properties: a) having an apparent molecular weight of about 30 kDa as determined by reducing SDS-PAGE; b) having a pI of about 7 to 8.5; c) when present in a 2% NP 40, pH 7.0, 150 mM NaCl detergent extract said p30 polypeptide binds to a herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) polypeptide or a lymphotoxin β receptor (LTβR) polypeptide; d) does not bind to an antibody that binds to LTβ; and e) is distinct from LTβ.