Method of producing dendritic cells

Abstract

Disclosed are embryonic stem cell-derived dendritic cells, genetically modified immature dendritic cells capable of maturation, as well as methods for the production of such cells. In one embodiment, the cells may be produced by a method comprising the steps of providing a population of embryonic stem cells; culturing the embryonic stem cells in the presence of a cytokine or combination of cytokines which brings about differentiation of the embryonic stem cells into dendritic cells; and recovering the dendritic cells from the culture. In a further embodiment, the cells may be genetically modified.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A substantially pure population of immature dendritic cells obtained by the process comprising the steps of: 
 (i) providing a population of embryonic stem cells;    (ii) culturing the embryonic stem cells in the presence of a cytokine or combination of cytokines which bring about differentiation of the embryonic stem cells into immature dendritic cells to produce a long-term culture of immature dendritic cells; and    (iii) recovering a substantially pure population of immature dendritic cells from the culture, which immature dendritic cells are capable of maturation to an immunostimulatory phenotype.    
     
     
         2 . A method of treating a patient by immunotherapy which comprises administering to a patient in need of immunotherapy, an effective immunotherapeutic amount of the population of cells of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the immunotherapy comprises immunostimulation.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the immunostimulation comprises tumor immunotherapy or vaccination against infectious agents.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the immunotherapy comprises down-modulation of a detrimental immune response.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the down-modulation of a detrimental immune response is in the treatment of autoimmune disease or allograft rejection.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the immunotherapy comprises inducing a Th1 to Th2 immune deviation.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the immunotherapy comprises altering dentritic cell function.  
     
     
         9 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the population of cells of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutical excipient or carrier.  
     
     
         10 . A method of treating a patient by immunotherapy which comprises administering to a patient in need of immunotherapy, an effective immunotherapeutic amount of the composition of  claim 9 .  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the immunotherapy comprises immunostimulation.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the immunostimulation comprises tumor immunotherapy or vaccination against infectious agents.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the immunotherapy comprises down-modulation of a detrimental immune response.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the down-modulation of a detrimental immune response is in the treatment of autoimmune disease or allograft rejection.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the immunotherapy comprises inducing a Th1 to Th2 immune deviation.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the immunotherapy comprises altering dentritic cell function.