The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 01, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 27, 1995
Stuart F Schlossman, Newton, MA (US);
Mei X Wu, Cambridge, MA (US);
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc., Boston, MA (US);
Abstract
Methods for interfering with antigen presenting cell-mediated priming of resting peripheral blood T lymphocytes to undergo activation induced cell death ('apoptosis') by inhibiting an interaction between a membrane associated molecule ('an APC apoptotic ligand') present on stimulated antigen presenting cells ('APC') and a counter-receptor that is present on T lymphocytes are disclosed. The antigen presenting cells are preferably from the monocyte/macrophage cell line or are dendritic cells. Also disclosed are methods of screening for inhibitors of APC-mediated priming of T lymphocytes to undergo apoptosis and methods and agents for detecting, identifying and characterizing an APC apoptotic ligand. Inhibitors identified by the screening method of the invention are used to reduce the T lymphocyte depletion associated with HIV infection and thereby mitigate the severe immunodeficiency associated with AIDS by interfering with the association between HIV-infected antigen presenting cells, especially monocytes and macrophages, and T cells.