Use of cytokines and mitogens to inhibit pathological immune responses

Abstract

The invention is generally related to methods of treating autoimmune diseases, including both antibody-mediated and cell-mediated disorders.

1 .- 23 . (canceled)  
     
     
         24 . A method of preparing one or more suppressor T cells comprising treating ex vivo a population of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from a patient with a regulatory composition comprising a cytokine.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said composition further comprises a T cell activator.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said cytokine is selected from the group consisting of IL-2, IL-4, TGF-β and TNF-α.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said T cell activator is a CD2 activator.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein said CD2 activator is an anti-CD2 antibody.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein said T cell activator is selected from the group consisting of concanavalin A (Con A), staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB), an anti-CD3 antibody, an anti-CD28 antibody, and an anti-CD2 antibody  
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said PBMC are enriched for CD4+ cells.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said PBMC are enriched for naive CD4+ cells.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said PBMC are enriched for CD8+ cells.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said PBMC are enriched for CD4+ cells and CD8+ cells.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said PBMC are enriched for natural killer (NK) cells.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein said PBMC from a patient having an autoimmune disorder.  
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein said autoimmune disorder is a cell-mediated autoimmune disease.  
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein said cell-mediated autoimmune disease is selected from the group consisting of Hashimoto's disease, polymyositis, disease inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, and scleroderma.  
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein said autoimmune disorder is an antibody mediated disease.  
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein said autoimmune disorder is an antibody mediated disease selected from the group consisting of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), pemphigus vulgaris, myasthenia gravis, hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia purpura, Grave's disease, dermatomyositis and Sjogren's disease.  
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein said autoimmune disorder is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).  
     
     
         41 . A method of preparing one or more suppressor T cells comprising treating ex vivo a population of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from a patient with a regulatory composition comprising IL-2, TGF-β and an anti-CD2 antibody.  
     
     
         42 . A method of preparing one or more suppressor T cells comprising treating ex vivo a population of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from a patient with a regulatory composition comprising IL-2, TGF-β and an anti-CD2 antibody, wherein said PBMC comprise CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells.