In addition, the development of multifarious autoimmune diseases as immune-related adverse events of anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies and the successful clinical application of the CD28 blocking therapy using CTLA-4-Ig to the treatment of arthritis assure their crucial roles in the regulation of autoimmunity in human.
CTLA4-FasL fusion molecule, which has been well characterized in our previous studies for its suppressive effect in rat arthritis model, is chosen as the T-cell antagonist.