REDUCING THE IMMUNOGENICITY OF FUSION PROTEINS
Disclosed are compositions and methods for producing fusion proteins with reduced immunogenicity. Fusion proteins of the invention include a junction region having an amino acid change that reduces the ability of a junctional epitope to bind to MHC Class II, thereby reducing its interaction with a T-cell receptor. Methods of the invention involve analyzing, changing, or modifying one or more amino acids in the junction region of a fusion protein in order to identify a T-cell epitope and reduce its ability to interact with a T cell receptor. Compositions and methods of the invention are useful in therapy.
1 .- 4 . (canceled)
5 . A method for reducing the immunogenicity of a fusion protein, the method comprising introducing a glycosylation site within the junction region spanning the fusion junction.
6 . A method for reducing the immunogenicity of a fusion protein, the method comprising introducing a glycosylation site within 10 amino acids of the fusion junction.
7 . The method of claim 5 , the method comprising introducing a glycosylation site within 5 amino acids of the fusion junction.
8 . The method of claim 5 , the method comprising introducing a glycosylation site within 2 amino acids of the fusion junction.
9 .- 10 . (canceled)
11 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the glycosylation is an N-linked glycosylation.
12 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the glycosylation is an O-linked glycosylation.
13 .- 37 . (canceled)