Methods

Abstract

A method for identifying a compound for modulating the immune response in a first type of mammal to a super-antigen, comprising the steps of 5 (7) providing a cell expressing a MHC Class II molecule derivable at least in part from the first type, or cells comprising such a cell or cells (8) exposing the cell or cells provided in step (1) to a test compound (9) before, after or during step (2) exposing the cell or cells to the superantigen (10) determining whether the test compound modulates a response of the cell or cells to exposure to the superantigen (11) determining whether the test compound modulates a response of such a cell or cells to exposure to a conventional antigen, and (12) selecting a compound which modulates a response to the superantigen but does not modulate the response to exposure to the conventional antigen. The test compound may be a monoclonal antibody reactive with MHC Class II molecules. A method of treating an individual with or at risk of superantigen exposure/poisoning comprising administering to the individual the antibody TDR3 1.1 or molecule having the binding specificity of TDR31.1.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.