Immunosuppressive blood cells and methods of producing the same

Abstract

The present invention refers to a method of producing immunosuppressive blood cells that can be used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, in particular multiple sclerosis, organ graft rejection and graft-versus-host disease.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A pharmaceutical composition for treating an inflammatory disease, organ graft rejection or graft-versus-host disease in a patient, said composition comprising isolated blood cells treated with a therapeutically effective amount of a chemotherapeutic agent, and/or an autoantigen or a derivative thereof, and optionally a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         17 . The composition according to  claim 16 , wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of mitomycin C, C2 ceramide, tunicamycin, mycophenolate-mofetil, tryptophan metabolites, semisynthetic derivates thereof, and proteasome inhibitors or a combination of two or more agents. 
     
     
         18 . The composition according to  claim 17 , wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is mitomycin C. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the autoantigen is selected from the group consisting of natural antigens, synthetic peptides and natural peptides. 
     
     
         20 . The composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the autoantigen is a synthetic peptide of the myelin basic protein, preferably copaxone. 
     
     
         21 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 16 , wherein the disease is organ graft rejection or graft-versus-host disease and the blood cells are only treated with a chemotherapeutic agent. 
     
     
         22 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 21 , wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is mitomycin C. 
     
     
         23 . A method of producing immunosuppressive blood cells, comprising exposing an isolated blood cell sample to a chemotherapeutic agent and/or an autoantigen or a derivative thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the exposure takes place in vitro. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the blood cell sample is first treated with the autoantigen and subsequently with the chemotherapeutic agent. 
     
     
         26 . A method for treating a patient suffering from an autoimmune disease, said method comprising: a) obtaining a blood cell sample; b) treating said blood cell sample with a chemotherapeutic agent and an autoantigen; and c) administering such treated blood cells to said patient; wherein said treated blood cells ameliorate said autoimmune disease in said patient. 
     
     
         27 . A method for treating an inflammatory disease, organ graft rejection or graft-versus-host disease in a patient comprising administering to the patient a composition comprising isolated blood cells treated with a therapeutically effective amount of a chemotherapeutic agent, and/or an autoantigen or a derivative thereof, and optionally a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of mitomycin C, C2 ceramide, tunicamycin, mycophenolate-mofetil, tryptophan metabolites, semisynthetic derivates thereof, and proteasome inhibitors or a combination of two or more agents. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is mitomycin C. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the autoantigen is selected from the group consisting of natural antigens, synthetic peptides and natural peptides. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the autoantigen is a synthetic peptide of the myelin basic protein, preferably copaxone. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the disease is organ graft rejection or graft-versus-host disease and the blood cells are only treated with a chemotherapeutic agent. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is mitomycin C.