SUPPRESSIVE MACROPHAGES, C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND THE TREATMENT OF SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS AND IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA

摘要

The present invention relates to the use of suppressive macrophage or dendritic cells (activated with C-reactive protein or CRP-related compounds), for the treatment of various disease states and conditions associated with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and/or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), including lupus of the skin (discoid), systemic lupus of the joints, lungs and kidneys, hematological conditions including hemolytic anemia and low lymphocyte counts, lymphadenopathy and CNS effects, including memory loss, seizures and psychosis, among numerous others as otherwise disclosed herein. In another aspect of the invention, the reduction in the likelihood that a patient who is at risk for an outbreak of a disease state or condition associated with systemic lupus erythematosus or ITP will have an outbreak is an additional aspect of the present invention. In the case of ITP, methods of the present invention are used to increase platelet counts in the treated patient. In addition, in the case of ITP, the present invention relates to the use of CRP or a CRP-related compound in the absence of suppressive macrophages for the treatment of ITP.