ANTIBODIES AND FRAGMENTS THEREOF RAISED AGAINST THE ALPHA-3 DOMAIN OF HLA-G PROTEIN, METHODS AND MEANS FOR THEIR PREPARATION, AND USES THEREOF.

摘要

The invention relates toan antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof which specifically binds the a3 domain of a HLA-G protein, in particular binds the ß2- microglobulin free HLA-G protein exhibiting an a3 domain. The invention also relates to nucleic acid moleculesencoding a human HLA-G a3 domain polypeptide, which is selected from a group of specific sequences, as well as vectorsfor the cloning and/or for the expression suchnucleic acid molecules, recombined cells or cell lines and compositions for usein a host in need thereofto interfer with and in particular to neutralize the immune down-regulation due to HLA-G proteins, and/or improving or treating conditions showing HLA-G+ lesions, and/orimproving or treating a neoplasic condition or disease, in particular a cancer disease. The invention also relates to amethod of production of an antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof of the invention, and to immunogenic compositions or means of the invention for use to elicitina host an immune response against the a3 domain of HLA-G protein. The inventionalso relates to an in vitromethod for detecting HLA-G protein in a sample and/or monitoring or diagnosing a health status or pathologic condition through the analysis of a sampleand kit forsuchan in vitroassay.