METHODS FOR PRODUCTION OF THERAPEUTIC CYTOKINES

摘要

Recent work had disclosed that tryptophan-containing dipeptides have immunomodulatory activity in vivo. In this invention, it is disclosed that the dipeptides have activity ex vivo and CD2<+> cells can be induced to differentiate into Th1 cells, thus expressing Th1-associated cytokines. These cytokines are useful as a pharmaceutical agent and in fact because of the complexity of the cocktail of cytokines, are more active against a pathological condition. Embodiments of this invention are directed to the tailoring of therapy possible by the removal of CD2<+> cells from a subject suffering from a pathological condition and contacting the cells ex vivo and the dipeptide compounds to induce the cells to synthesize Th1-associated cytokines. For treatment of the pathological condition, either the cocktail or the contacted cells can be administered to the subject.