Preparation of antigen-presenting human gamma delta T cells and use in immunotherapy

摘要

The invention relates to a method for the preparation of efficient antigen-presenting human T cells, to the T cells prepared by such a method, and to their use in immunotherapy, vaccination, vaccine development and diagnostics. Similar to dendritic cells (DCs) in potency and efficacy, these human T cells process antigens and present antigenic peptides to T cells and induce antigen-specific responses (proliferation and differentiation) in naïve T cells. T cells are easily purified from peripheral blood, acquire maturation status (expression of essential adhesion, co-stimulatory and major histocompatibility complex molecules) within 1 day of in vitro culture under stimulation and induce strong primary and secondary T helper cell and cytotoxic T cell responses. The T cells may be used in a method of treatment of tumors or chronic or recurrent infectious diseases, in identification of novel tumor or pathogen-derived antigens, and in the diagnosis of the immune competence of a patient.