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Abstract: Recombinant vaccines containing Ii sequences were employed to elicit an antibody response. Gene gun immunisation of mice with the recombinant Ii-antigen-encoding vectors induced antigen-specific antibodies. Antibody levels were substantially elevated when the DNA construct was extended by a sequence encoding the protease inhibitory domain of the invariant chain isoform Ii41. Employing this approach, we raised antibodies specific for a novel MHC class III encoded protein. The antibodies identify the 216kDa BAT2 polypeptide. Immunostaining of embryonic tissue sections showed specific expression, especially in central nervous tissue, and suggests BAT2 as a novel differentiation marker. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]