Therapeutic methods using erythrocytes

A method of modulating the activity of target cells comprising:

• a) producing primed red blood cells by contacting red blood cells with at least one agent that modulates the level of one or more proteins associated with the red blood cells, wherein the at least one agent is a cell, and wherein the one or more proteins associated with the red blood cells is selected from the group consisting of basic FGF, Eotaxin, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, IL1ra, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12(p70), IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, PDGF-BB, RANTES, TNF-α, VEGF, IL-1α, IL-2Ra, IL-3, IL-12, IL-16, IL-18, CTACK, GRO-α, HGF, IFN-α2, LIF, MCP-3, M-CSF, MIF, MIG, β-NGF, SCF, SCGF-β, SDF-1α, TNF-β, and TRAIL;
• b) separating the primed red blood cells from the at least one agent;
• and
• c) mixing the target cells with one or more primed red blood cell components selected from the group consisting of:
• (i) the separated primed red blood cells;
• (ii) supernatant obtained from incubating or culturing the separated primed red blood cells;
• (iii) lysate obtained from the separated primed red blood cells;
• (iv) membranes obtained from the separated primed red blood cells;
• and
• (v) red blood cell ghosts produced from the separated primed red blood cells;
• wherein mixing the target cells with the one or more separated primed red blood cell components modulates the activity of the target cells.