Method of activating dendritic cells
AssigneeImmunex Corporation
InventorsEugene Maraskovsky, Hilary J. McKenna
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Antigen-expressing, activated dendritic cells are disclosed. Such dendritic cells are used to present tumor, viral or bacterial antigens to T cells, and can be useful in vaccination protocols. Other cytokines can be used in separate, sequential or simultaneous combination with the activated, antigen-pulsed dendritic cells. Also disclosed are methods for stimulating an immune response using the antigen-expressing, activated dendritic cells.
Claims20
A population of activated dendritic cells that express an antigen, produced by the process of
- (a) obtaining dendritic cells;
- (b) causing the dendritic cells to express the antigen by either (i) exposing the dendritic cells to the antigen in culture under conditions promoting uptake and processing of the antigen, or (ii) transfecting the dendritic cells with a gene encoding the antigen;
- and
- (c) activating the antigen-expressing dendritic cells by exposing them to a CD40 binding protein capable of binding CD40 and inhibiting binding of CD40 to CD40L, as determined by observing at least about 90% inhibition of the binding of soluble CD40 to CD40L.
A method of stimulating an immune response specific for an antigen in an individual, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining dendritic cells from the individual;
- (b) causing the dendritic cells to express the antigen by either (i) exposing the dendritic cells to the antigen in culture under conditions promoting uptake and processing of the antigen, or (ii) transfecting the dendritic cells with a gene encoding the antigen;
- (c) activating the antigen-expressing dendritic cells by exposing them to a CD40 binding protein capable of binding CD40 and inhibiting binding of CD40 to CD40L, as determined by observing at least about 90% inhibition of the binding of soluble CD40 to CD40L;
- and.
- (d) administering the activated, antigen-expressing dendritic cells to the individual.
A method of preparing antigen-specific T cells from an individual comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining dendritic cells from the individual;
- (b) causing the dendritic cells to express the antigen by either (i) exposing the dendritic cells to the antigen in culture under conditions promoting uptake and processing of the antigen, or (ii) transfecting the dendritic cells with a gene encoding the antigen;
- (c) activating the antigen-expressing dendritic cells by exposing them to a CD40 binding protein capable of binding CD40 and inhibiting binding of CD40 to CD40L, as determined by observing at least about 90% inhibition of the binding of soluble CD40 to CD40L;
- and.
- (d) allowing the dendritic cells to present the antigen to T cells.
A population of antigen-specific T cells produced by the process of
- (a) obtaining dendritic cells from an individual;
- (b) causing the dendritic cells to express the antigen by either (i) exposing the dendritic cells to the antigen in culture under conditions promoting uptake and processing of the antigen, or (ii) transfecting the dendritic cells with a gene encoding the antigen;
- (c) activating the antigen-expressing dendritic cells by exposing them to a CD40 binding protein capable of binding CD40 and inhibiting binding of CD40 to CD40L, as determined by observing at least about 90% inhibition of the binding of soluble CD40 to CD40L;
- and
- (d) allowing the dendritic cells to present the antigen to T cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.