Veto cells generated from memory t cells

A method of generating an isolated population of non-GvHD inducing cells comprising a central memory T-lymphocyte (Tcm) phenotype, said cells being tolerance inducing cells and/or endowed with anti-disease activity, and capable of homing to the lymph nodes following transplantation, the method comprising:

• (a) treating non-adherent peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with an agent capable of depleting CD4+, CD56+ and CD45RA+ cells so as to obtain a population of memory T cells comprising a CD45RA−CD8+ phenotype;
• (b) contacting said population of memory T cells with an antigen or antigens in the presence of IL-21 so as to allow enrichment of antigen reactive cells;
• and
• (c) culturing said cells resulting from step (b) in the presence of IL-21, IL-15 and/or IL-7 so as to allow proliferation of cells comprising said Tcm phenotype, thereby generating the isolated population of non-GvHD inducing cells.

A method of generating an isolated population of non-GvHD inducing cells comprising a central memory T-lymphocyte (Tcm) phenotype, said cells being tolerance inducing cells and/or endowed with anti-disease activity, and capable of homing to the lymph nodes following transplantation, the method comprising:

• (a) treating non-adherent peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with an agent capable of depleting CD4+, CD56+ and CD45RA+ cells so as to obtain a population of memory T cells comprising a CD45RA−CD8+ phenotype;
• (b) contacting said population of memory T cells with a viral antigen or antigens in the presence of IL-21 so as to allow enrichment of antigen reactive cells;
• and
• (c) culturing said cells resulting from step (b) in the presence of IL-21, IL-15 and/or IL-7 so as to allow proliferation of cells comprising said Tcm phenotype, thereby generating the isolated population of non-GvHD inducing cells.