Stable form of signal converting protein fusion proteins, and methods of use and preparation thereof

Abstract

A stable fusion protein, wherein in solution, a majority of the fusion proteins are in the homo-hexamer form, which may be prepared for example as a CTLA4-FasL fusion protein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fusion protein comprising a component 1 protein selected from the group consisting of TIGIT, CTLA4 and CD96; and a component 2 protein selected from the group consisting of OX40L, CD40L, CD27L, CD30L, RANKL, GITRL, and 4-1BBL. 
     
     
         2 . The fusion protein of  claim 1 , wherein said component 1 protein is selected from the group consisting of TIGIT and CD96 and said component 2 protein is selected from the group consisting of OX40L, CD40L, CD27L, CD30L, GITRL, and 4-1BBL. 
     
     
         3 . The fusion protein of  claim 1 , wherein said component 1 protein comprises an extracellular domain of said component 1 protein. 
     
     
         4 . The fusion protein of  claim 3 , wherein said extracellular domain of said component 1 protein is capable of targeting and/or activating an immune cell. 
     
     
         5 . The fusion protein of  claim 1 , wherein said component 2 protein comprises an extracellular domain of said component 2 protein. 
     
     
         6 . The fusion protein of  claim 5 , wherein said extracellular domain of said component 2 protein is capable of activating or inducing growth of an immune cell. 
     
     
         7 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the fusion protein of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         8 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the fusion protein of  claim 2  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         9 . A method of inducing immune activation, the method comprising contacting an immune cell with the fusion protein of  claim 2 , thereby inducing immune activation. 
     
     
         10 . A method of treating a disease that can benefit from immune activation in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of the fusion protein of  claim 2 , thereby treating the disease that can benefit from immune activation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said disease that can benefit from immune activation is cancer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said cancer is lymphatic cancer.