Method for therapeutically treating abnormal cells expressing a major histocompatibility complex class II antigen using cytolytic inducer T4 cells
AssigneeTrustees of Boston University
InventorShyr-Te Ju
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a lymphocyte-mediated immunotherapy for the treatment of human or animal subjects afflicted with abnormal or tumor cells which express a MHC Class II antigen on their surface. The method utilizes inducer T-cell clones or lines having a demonstrable specificity for an identifiable antigen. These T-cells are activated in-vivo to express cytolytic and therapeutic activity against the abnormal or tumor cells in the subject.
Claims7
An in-vivo method for therapeutically treating a living subject afflicted with abnormal cells which express a major histocompatibility complex Class II antigen, said method comprising the steps of:
- administering a plurality of non-activated inducer T-cell lymphocytes to the living subject, said non-activated inducer T-cell lymphocytes having a demonstratable specificity for another antigen in addition to a major histocompatibility Class II antigen;
- introducing said other antigen to the abnormal cells within the subject at a desired time such that the abnormal cells take up said introduced other antigen and act in-vivo as antigen-presenting cells;
- allowing said administered T-cell lymphocytes to become activated in-vivo by said introduced other antigen;
- and
- waiting for said in-vivo activated inducer T-cell lymphocytes to express cytolytic activity against said antigen-presenting cells comprising the abnormal cells in the living subject.
An in-vivo method for therapeutically treating a living subject afflicted with tumor cells which express a major histocompatibility complex Class II antigen, said method comprising the steps of:
- administering a plurality of non-activated inducer T-cell lymphocytes to the living subject, said non-activated inducer T-cell lymphocytes having a demonstratable specificity for an exogenous antigen in addition to a major histocompatibility Class II antigen;
- introducing said exogenous antigen to the tumor cells within the subject at a desired time such that the tumor cells take up said introduced exogenous antigen and act in-vivo as antigen-presenting cells;
- allowing said administered T-cell lymphocytes to become activated in-vivo by said introduced exogenous antigen;
- and
- waiting for said in-vivo activated inducer T-cell lymphocytes to express cytolytic activity against said antigen-presenting cells comprising the tumor cells in the living subject.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.