Methods for induction of antigen-specific regulatory t cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods to elicit immature antigen-presenting cells loaded with apoptotic cells or apoptotic bodies. The present invention also relates to methods of obtaining antigen-specific regulatory T cells in vitro or in vivo. Cells loaded with apoptotic bodies / cells and regulatory T cells are obtainable by inducing apoptosis of antigen-presenting cells by cytolytic CD4+ T cells. The cells are used for suppressing or preventing diseases such as autoimmune diseases, graft rejection and allergic diseases, and medicaments related thereto. Further disclosed are the use of antigen-specific regulatory T cells for suppressing or preventing diseases such as autoimmune diseases, graft rejection and allergic diseases, and medicaments related thereto. Further disclosed are populations of antigen-specific regulatory T cells obtained by said method.

Description

field of invention

[0001] The present invention relates to methods for obtaining antigen-specific regulatory T cells and their use as medicines for the treatment of conditions such as autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases or transplant rejection. Background of the invention

[0002] Regulatory T cells (Treg), especially those expressing the transcriptional receptor Foxp3 (forkhead box P3), are required to maintain normal immune homeostasis. In the absence of such cells, autoimmunity develops rapidly, with clinical manifestations such as diabetes and other autoimmune diseases (see Sakaguchi et al. (2012) Nature Med. 18, 54-58). Foxp3+ Treg are actively selected in the thymus and constitute the population of cells found in peripheral blood that stably express Foxp3. The threshold for selecting cells in the thymus following allogeneic recognition of self-peptides presented by thymic epithelial cells allowed Foxp3+ cells to be found with a significant affinity in peripheral bl...

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