The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Inc.

American Red Cross

David W Scott

Yong Chan Kim

Yongchan Kim

Aihong Zhang

Elias T Zambidis

Described herein are agents and methods for targeting antigen-specific B cells using engineered T cells, such as regulatory T cells or cytotoxic T cells, or bi-specific antibodies. The agents and methods can be used to reduce undesirable immune responses.

Antigen-specific T cells for inducing immune tolerance

The present invention generally relates to the production of antigen-specific T regulatory cells (Tregs). Such cells can be used in therapy to minimize undesirable immune responses such as those observed in autoimmunity and hemophilia and other diseases as well as in the response to protein therapy for genetic diseases. Methods for producing antigen specific Tregs and conditions for preferential expansion of functionally stable, specific Tregs are also provided.

Use of specific regulatory T-cells to induce immune tolerance

The invention provides methods and compositions for inducing and maintaining tolerance to epitopes or antigens containing the epitopes. The compositions include expression cassettes and vectors including DNA sequences coding for a fusion immunoglobulin operably linked to transcriptional and translational control regions functional in a hemopoietic or lymphoid cell. The fusion immunoglobulin includes at least one heterologous tolerogenic epitope at the N-terminus variable region of the immunoglobulin. Cells stably transformed with the expression vector are formed and used to produce fusion immunoglobulin. The invention also provides methods for screening for novel tolerogenic epitopes and for inducing and maintaining tolerance. The methods of the invention are useful in the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune or allergic immune responses.

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Bethesda, MD, United States of America

David W Scott