Abstract:
The present invention relates to methods of treating an infectious, proliferative, or lymphocyte-mediated disease that involve providing a T cell receptor β chain (TCR β) having higher sensitivity recognition of antigen than a wild type TCR β chain and introducing the TCR β chain directly or indirectly to a subject having the disease under conditions effective to treat the disease. Also provided is another method of treating such diseases that involves providing an isolated mouse TCR β chain having higher sensitivity recognition of antigen than a wild type TCR β chain, linking the mouse TCR β chain with a human TCR αchain, and introducing the linked mouse TCR β and human TCR α chains to a subject having a disease, thereby treating the disease. The present invention also relates to a transgenic mouse having a TCR β chain having higher sensitivity recognition of antigen than a wild type mouse.