US 5,871,728 A · Method of regulating dendritic cell maturation

Abstract

A novel transplantation method for enhancing tolerogenicity in a host mammal to a transplant graft specimen from a donor mammal is disclosed. According to this method, immature mammalian dendritic cells propagated in the presence of a cytokine are administered to the host mammal in advance of transplantation. Tolerogenicity is enhanced in the host mammal when the immature mammalian dendritic cells concentrate in T-dependent regions of secondary lymphoid tissue of the host mammal, where the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen by the immature mammalian dendritic cells is upregulated. Also disclosed is a novel method of effecting the maturation of immature dendritic cells in the presence of a cytokine and an extracellular matrix protein. These mature mammalian dendritic cells, which upregulate the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen, can then be used to enhance the immune response of a host mammal.

Claims75

Dependent claims

A method for enhancing tolerance in a host mammal to an allogeneic donor graft comprising:

(a) isolating immature mammalian dendritic cells from a donor mammal;
(b) culturing said immature mammalian dendritic cells in an amount of a cytokine effective to produce dendritic cells which are characterized by either absence or weak expression of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen;
(c) isolating said cultured dendritic cells;
and
(d) administering said cultured dendritic cells to the host mammal in an amount effective to enhance tolerance to said donor graft.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of regulating dendritic cell maturation

Life of this patent

Method of regulating dendritic cell maturation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims75