UV-induced factor for immunosuppression

摘要

The present invention comprises the method of selectively suppressing an immune response of a mammal to a particular alloantigen. The method includes several steps. One step is administering to a mammal an effective amount of UVB-radiation. It is demonstrated herein UVB radiation selectively suppresses the DTH response in mammals. Epidermal cell cultures, when subjected to UVB irradiation (280 nm to 320 nm) produce a specific immunosuppressive factor. The immunosuppressive factor is reactive with an antibody directed toward IL-10. Another step of the inventive method involves desensitizing a mammal to a particular alloantigen. It has been determined that a mammal will become tolerant to a particular alloantigen once the subject mammal has been irradiated with a pre-determined wavelength of UVR and thereafter sensitized with the particular alloantigen. This may analogously be accomplished using the immunosuppressive factor from in vitro epidermal cell cultures of the present invention.