This invention relates to lymphotoxin-, a lymphocyte membrane type protein.
This protein is found on the surface of a number of cells, including phorbol ester
(PMA) stimulated T cell hybridoma II-23.D7 cells. This invention also relates to
complexes formed between lymphotoxin- and other peptides such as lymphotoxin-
and to complexes comprising multiple subunits of lymphotoxin-. These proteins
and complexes are useful in holding LT- formed within the cell on the cell
surface where the LT-/LT- complex may act as an inflammation regulating
agent, a tumor growth inhibiting agent, a T cell inhibiting agent, a T cell activating
agent, an autoimmune disease regulating agent, or an HIV inhibiting agent. Furthermore,
the antitumor activity of the LT-/LT- complex may be delivered to
tumor cells by tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) transfected with the gene
for LT-.