Activated dendritic cells and methods for their activation
AssigneeImmunex Corporation
InventorsEugene Maraskovsky, Hilary J. Mc Kenna
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Abstract
Antigen-expressing, activated dendritic cells are disclosed. Such dendritic cells are used to present tumor, viral or bacterial antigens to T cells, and can be useful in vaccination protocols. Other cytokines can be used in separate, sequential or simultaneous combination with the activated, antigen-pulsed dendritic cells. Also disclosed are methods for stimulating an immune response using the antigen-expressing, activated dendritic cells.
Claims15
A method of stimulating an immune response specific for an antigen in an individual, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining dendritic cells from the individual;
- (b) transfecting the dendritic cells with a gene encoding the antigen;
- (c) activating the transfected dendritic cells by exposing them to a CD40 binding protein capable of binding CD40 and inhibiting binding of CD40 to CD40L, as determined by observing at least about 90% inhibition of the binding of soluble CD40 to CD40L;
- and,
- (d) administering the activated, antigen-expressing dendritic cells to the individual.
A method for stimulating an antigen-specific immune response comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells from an individual;
- (b) obtaining dendritic cells by contacting, ex vivo, the cells of step (a) with cytokines suitable for culturing dendritic cells;
- (c) exposing the dendritic cells of step (b) with a gene encoding an antigen, so as to obtain antigen-expressing dendritic cells;
- (d) exposing the antigen-expressing dendritic cells of step (c) to a protein which binds CD40 and inhibits binding of CD40 to CD40L, so as to obtain activated, antigen-expressing dendritic cells;
- and
- (e) administering an effective amount of the activated antigen-expressing dendritic cells of step (d) to the individual so as to stimulate the antigen-specific immune response in an individual.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.