Treatment of autoimmune diseases
OwnerAnthony E. Boltoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An autoimmune vaccine is provided for administration to human patients to alleviate the symptoms of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The vaccine comprises an aliquot of the patient's blood, containing, inter alia, leukocytes having upregulated expression of various cell surface markers and lymphocytes containing decreased amounts of certain stress proteins. It is produced by subjecting the blood aliquot extracorporeally to certain stressors, namely oxidizing agents, UV radiation and elevated temperature.
Claims25
An autovaccine for alleviating the symptoms of an autoimmune disease in a mammalian patient suffering therefrom, comprising, an aliquot of modified blood of said patient, the modified blood aliquot being characterized by having, in comparison with an equal volume aliquot of said patient's unmodified blood, at least one of the following distinguishing features:
- (a) increased numbers of leucocytes exhibiting a condensed apoptotic-like morphology;
- (b) a reduction in the number of leukocytes expressing the MHC Class II leukocyte cell surface specific protein HLA-DR;
- (c) an upregulated expression on leukocytes of at least one cell surface marker selected from the group consisting of CD-11b;
- B-7.2;
- and CTLA-4;
- (d) lymphocytes containing decreased amounts of stress protein HSP-60;
- and
- (e) lymphocytes containing decreased amounts of stress protein HSP-72.
A process of preparing an autovaccine for administration to an autoimmune disease-suffering mammalian patient to alleviate the patient's autoimmune disease symptoms, which comprises:
- extracting an aliquot of blood from the patient;
- modifying the extracted blood aliquot extracorporeally by subjecting it to an immune system-modifying amount of ozone gas and ultraviolet radiation, so as to create in the blood aliquot, in comparison with an equal volume aliquot of said patient's unmodified blood, at least one of the following distinguishing features:
- (a) increased numbers of leucocytes exhibiting a condensed apoptotic-like morphology;
- (b) a reduction in the number of leukocytes expressing the MHC Class II leukocyte cell surface specific protein HLA-DR;
- (c) an upregulated expression on leukocytes of at least one cell surface marker selected from the group consisting of CD-11b;
- B-7.2;
- and CTLA-4;
- (d) lymphocytes containing decreased amounts of stress protein HSP-60;
- and
- (e) lymphocytes containing decreased amounts of stress protein HSP-72.
A process of treating a mammalian patient suffering from an autoimmune disease, to alleviate the symptoms thereof, which comprises:
- extracting an aliquot of blood from the patient;
- modifying the extracted blood aliquot extracorporeally by subjecting it to an immune system-modifying amount of ozone gas and ultraviolet radiation, so as to create in the blood aliquot, in comparison with an equal volume of aliquot of said patient's unmodified blood, at least one of the following distinguishing features:
- (a) increased numbers of leucocytes exhibiting a condensed apoptotic-like morphology;
- (b) a reduction in the number of leukocytes expressing the MHC Class II leukocyte cell surface specific protein HLA-DR;
- (c) an upregulated expression on leukocytes of at least one cell surface marker selected from the group consisting of CD-11b;
- B-7.2;
- and CTLA-4;
- (d) lymphocytes containing decreased amounts of stress protein HSP-60;
- and
- (e) lymphocytes containing decreased amounts of stress protein HSP-72;
- and re-injecting the blood aliquot so modified into said patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.