A method for the treatment or prevention of autoimmune diseases, allergic or atopic disorders, and
graft rejection is provided, comprising inducing the death by
apoptosis of a subpopulation of T lymphocytes that is capable of causing such diseases, while leaving substantially unaffected the majority of other T lymphocytes.
Cell death is achieved by cycle(s) comprising challenging via immunization these T cells with antigenic substance at short time intervals, or by immunization followed by administering
interleukin-2 (IL-2) when these T cells are expressing high levels of IL-2
receptor so as to cause these T cells to undergo
apoptosis upon re-immunization with the
antigenic peptide or
protein. These methods are applicable to the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as, for example,
multiple sclerosis,
uveitis,
arthritis, Type I
insulin-dependent diabetes, Hashimoto's
thyroiditis, Grave's
thyroiditis, autoimmune
myocarditis, etc., allergic disorders such as
hay fever, extrinsic
asthma, or
insect bite and sting allergies, food and
drug allergies, as well as for the treatment or prevention of
graft rejection.