Antigen presenting mesenchymal stem cells

Patent Number: 7101704

This patent covers mesenchymal and adipocyte lineage cells that have been induced to present exogenous antigen. The patent is useful for companies that are interested in stimulating an immune response through having the mesenchymal or adipocyte-lineage cell to act as an antigen presenting cell. The patent has 2 independent claims. The first covers mesenchymal stem cells that have been treated with interferon gamma, express an exogenous antigen on MHC II, and express a costimulatory molecule, whereas the second one covers an adipocyte lineage cell with the same properties. The patent could be the basis for generating a new type of cellular therapy by transfecting "off-the shelf" universal donor cells with antigens and using the cell line for immunization purposes. The one drawback is that numerous immunogenic antigen presenting cell lines are already in existence. The unique aspect of this invention is that the mesenchymal and adipocyte-lineage cell are performing antigen presentation after treatment with interferon gamma. The ability of interferon gamma to induce the effect of antigen presentation on these cells may be similar to other known abilities of interferon gamma to endow endothelial cells with antigen presenting activity (Prat A et al. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2000 Feb;59(2):129-36).

View this patent on the USPTO website.