The present invention provides a method for inhibiting an immune reponse and a method for inhibiting rejection of transplanted tissues. This method comprises preventing an endogenous molecule on a cell selected from the group consisting of gp39 and CD40 antigens from binding its endogenous ligand and preventing an endogenous molecule on a cell selected from the group consisting of CTLA4, CD28, and B7 antigens from binding its endogenous ligand. The prevention of such molecules from binding their ligand thereby blocks two independent signal pathways and inhibits the immune response resulting in transplanted tissue rejection.
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