Method of preparing an undifferentiated cell

Patent Number: 7,410,773

This patent is either way ahead of its time, or there are some problems in its commercialization.  The patent covers a method of "dedifferentiating" mature cells in order to an immature phenotype or to increase the ability of the cells to act like stem cells. 

The first claim of the patent covers a means of augmenting the number of cells expressing a stem cell marker(s) in a population of cells through contacting the cells with an antibody that engages either the major histocompatability complex (MHC) I or II molecules.  Essentially this patent is stating that the culture of cells, for example peripheral blood mononuclear cells with antibodies to MHC I or II can increase the stem cell content in these cells.

It has been suggested by others that MHC molecules can perform what is called "outside in" signalling.  For example, Doisne et al (The context of HLA-DR/CD18 complex in the plasma membrane governs HLA-DR-derived signals in activated monocytes. Mol Immunol 2008 Feb;45(3):709-18. Epub 2007 Aug 24) reported that crosslinking of MHC II molecules on monocytes activates various biochemical pathways leading to either monocyte activation or apoptosis.  Another study on MHC I molecules (Pettersen et al. Role of the TCR binding region of the HLA class I alpha 2 domain in regulation of cell adhesion and proliferation. J Immunol. 1996 Feb 15;156(4):1415-24.) demonstrated that antibody mediated crosslinking of parts of the MHC I molecule that the T cell receptor bound to could lead to cell aggregation through an "outside-in" signalling method. 

If the data in this patent is correct, some of which has been published, then this would be a major step forward for stem cell research and manipulation.  We would no longer need to performed allogeneic bone marrow transplants for leukemia but instead generate our own patient specific "de-differentiated" stem cells.  Actually this approach would be useful for all the diseases in which bone marrow stem cells have previously shown success such as heart failure, liver failure, and multiple sclerosis.

View this patent on the USPTO website.