Cytotoxic t cell response modifiers

A method for identifying an agent influencing the response of cells to CTLs, said method comprising the steps of:

• contacting cells expressing at least one surface polypeptide preventing CTL response and/or expressing at least one polypeptide involved in cell signaling preventing CTL response with at least one agent of interest, and conducting at least one of the sets of steps (1), (2), (3), (4) or (5):
• (1)
• (i) co-incubating the contacted cells with CTLs,
• (ii) recovering viable cells obtained from step (i),
• (iii) determining an amount of the viable cells obtained from step (ii), and
• ((iv) 1) comparing the determined amount of the viable cells with a negative control of cells without addition of CTLs;
• and/or
• ((iv) 2) comparing the determined amount of the viable cells with a negative control of cells not contacted with the at least one agent of interest and/or with one or more other agent(s);
• or
• (2)
• (i) co-incubating the contacted cells with CTLs,
• (ii) determining an activity of said CTLs, and
• (iii) comparing the activity of said CTLs on the cells contacted with the at least one agent of interest with a negative control of cells not contacted with the at least one agent of interest and/or with one or more other agent(s);
• or
• (3)
• (i) determining binding of the at least one agent of interest to the at least one surface polypeptide preventing CTL response, and
• (ii) comparing the determined binding of the at least one agent of interest to the at least one surface polypeptide preventing CTL response on the cells contacted with the at least one agent of interest with:
• (x) a negative control of cells not contacted with the at least one agent of interest and/or with one or more other agent(s);
• and/or (y) a negative control of cells not expressing the surface polypeptide, or
• (4)
• (i) determining expression or activity of the at least one surface polypeptide preventing CTL response, and
• (ii) comparing the determined expression or activity of the at least one surface polypeptide on the cells contacted with the at least one agent of interest with a negative control of cells not contacted with the at least one agent of interest and/or with one or more other agent(s), or
• (5)
• (i) determining expression or activity of the at least one polypeptide involved in cell signaling, and
• (ii) comparing the determined expression or activity of the at least one polypeptide involved in cell signaling of the cells contacted with the at least one agent of interest with a negative control of cells not contacted with the at least one agent of interest and/or with one or more other agent(s).

A composition or kit comprising

• a cell expressing:
• (x) at least one surface polypeptide preventing CTL response;
• and/or (y) at least one polypeptide involved in cell signaling preventing CTL response;
• and/or (z) a cell obtained from a patient that has developed a pathological CTL response and/or is at risk of developing a pathological CTL response,
• a CTL, and
• an agent of interest being a candidate agent influencing the response of cells to CTLs, wherein the kit additionally comprises
• optionally a buffer and/or medium for washing away unviable cells,
• optionally a bioluminescence precursor compound and cofactors, and
• optionally a user manual.