Human tumor necrosis factor receptor

Abstract

A human TNF receptor and DNA (RNA) encoding such receptor and a procedure for producing such receptor by recombinant techniques is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for utilizing such receptor for screening for antagonists and agonists to the receptor and for ligands for the receptor. Also disclosed are methods for utilizing such agonists to inhibit the growth of tumors, to stimulate cellular differentiation, to mediate the immune response and anti-viral response, to regulate growth and provide resistance to certain infections. The use of the antagonists as a therapeutic to treat autoimmune diseases, inflammation, septic shock, to inhibit graft-host reactions, and to prevent apoptosis is also disclosed. Also disclosed are diagnostic methods for detecting mutations in the nucleic acid sequence encoding the receptor and for detecting altered levels of the soluble receptor in a sample derived from a host.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.