Method for enhancing immune responses in mammals

A method of stimulating an immune response in a mammal having a pathological condition, comprising:

• (a) obtaining a biological fluid from the mammal;
• (b) contacting the biological fluid with a tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) mutein having specific binding activity for a soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR);
• (c) removing the TNFα mutein bound to said soluble TNFR from said biological fluid to produce an altered biological fluid having a reduced amount of soluble TNFR;
• and
• (d) administering the altered biological fluid to the mammal.

A method for stimulating an immune system response in a mammal having a pathological condition, comprising:

• (a) obtaining a biological fluid from the mammal;
• (b) contacting the biological fluid with at least one tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) mutein having specific binding activity for a soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR), wherein the TNFα mutein is attached to an inert medium to form an adsorbent matrix;
• (c) removing the adsorbent matrix comprising the TNFα mutein bound to the soluble TNFR from the biological fluid to produce an altered biological fluid;
• and
• (d) administering the altered biological fluid to the mammal.

A method for stimulating an immune response in a mammal having a pathological condition comprising:

• (a) obtaining a biological fluid from the mammal;
• (b) contacting the biological fluid with two or more TNFα muteins having specific binding activity for a soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor;
• (c) isolating the TNFα muteins bound to the soluble TNFR from the biological fluid to produce an altered biological fluid;
• (f) administering the altered biological fluid to the mammal.