Treatment of T cell mediated autoimmune disorders

Abstract

Method for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and other T cell mediated autoimmune disorders is described. The method involves administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist of a receptor on a surface of a T cell which mediates contact dependent helper effector functions, for example, an anti-gp39 antibody.

1 . A method for treating a T cell mediated autoimmune disorder comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of an antagonist of a receptor on a surface of a T cell which mediates contact dependent helper effector functions.  
     
     
         2 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the T cell mediated autoimmune disorder is selected from the group consisting of multiple sclerosis, EAE, diabetes type I, oophoritis and thyroiditis.  
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the T cell mediated autoimmune disorder is multiple sclerosis.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receptor on the surface of the T cell which mediates contact-dependent helper effector function is gp39.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the antagonist is an anti-gp39 antibody.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the anti-gp39 antibody is a monoclonal antibody.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the anti-gp39 antibody is an anti-human gp39 antibody.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is produced by 89-76 hybridoma, ATCC Accession Number HB11713 or 24-31 hybridoma, ATCC Accession Number HB11712 or an antibody having the gp39 binding characteristics thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is a chimeric monoclonal antibody.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the monoclonal antibody is a humanized monoclonal antibody.  
     
     
         11 . A method of treating multiple sclerosis comprising administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-human gp39 antibody.