Method for in vivo identification of intracellular epitopes

• Main Authors: Cattaneo, Antonino, Visintin, Michela
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 25.12.2003

A method is described for the in vivo identification of epitopes of an intracellular antigen comprising the steps of :a) co-transforming of cells by a first vector including the nucleotide sequence encoding for the region of an antibody able to recognise and bind the intracellular antigen and by a second vector comprising the nucleotide sequence encoding for a peptide; b) growing co-transformed cells in such an environment that only cells wherein the antibody region and peptide recognise and interact each other are able to replicate and/or be recognised because: the antibody region able to recognise and bind the intracellular antigen is associated with a first molecule; the peptide is associated with a second molecule; the interaction of the first with the second molecule generates a selectable phenotype and/or recognisable signal; and the interaction of the first with the second molecule occurs only when the antibody region and peptide recognise and interact each-other; c) selecting the b) cells and identify the peptide as epitope.