Methods and compositions for the treatment and/or prevention of type 1 diabetes

Abstract

The disclosure relates generally to methods and compositions of treating or preventing diabetes mellitus by administering to a subject a composition comprising an amount of stem and/or progenitor cells and at least one antigen-specific therapy.

1 . A composition comprising an amount of purified allogenic endothelial progenitor cells and an amount of at least one immunoglobulin-polypeptide chimera, wherein the immunoglobulin-peptide chimera expresses a disease-specific T- or B-cell epitope. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the purified endothelial progenitor cells are isolated from bone marrow. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the purified endothelial progenitor cells are purified bone marrow endothelial progenitor cells. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the immunoglobulin-polypeptide chimera is soluble. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the immunoglobulin-polypeptide chimera is aggregated. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the immunoglobulin-polypeptide chimera comprises an immunoglobulin having a CDR3 region, and wherein a diabetogenic epitope is inserted within the CDR3 region. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6 , wherein the diabetogenic epitope comprises GAD2 (SEQ ID NO: 1), GAD1 (SEQ ID NO: 2) or INSβ (SEQ ID NO: 3). 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising no other cell types other than the purified endothelial progenitor cells. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises no or substantially no cells that are Lin + , c-Kit − , and/or FLK-1 − . 
     
     
         10 . A composition comprising:
 an amount of cells, wherein the cells consist essentially of purified allogenic endothelial progenitor cells; and   an amount of at least one immunoglobulin-polypeptide chimera, wherein the immunoglobulin-peptide chimera expresses a disease-specific T- or B-cell epitope.   
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the immunoglobulin-polypeptide chimera comprises an immunoglobulin having a CDR3 region, and wherein a diabetogenic epitope is inserted within the CDR3 region. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the diabetogenic epitope comprises GAD2 (SEQ ID NO: 1), GAD1 (SEQ ID NO: 2) or INSβ (SEQ ID NO: 3). 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the composition comprises no or substantially no cells that are Lin + , c-Kit − , and/or FLK-1 − .