ABSTRACT
The Tecnomouse system is useful for cultivating transformed cell lines producing MAbs or recombinant proteins, but human tumor cells can also be propagated for autologous immunization protocols or research properties. Lymphokine-activated killer cell production and stem cell proliferation seem to be possible. Moreover, primary human cells of lymphoid organs can be successfully kept viable over long periods of time in a three-dimensional, tissue-like culture. Therefore, the bioreactor is a tool for the in vitro modulation of a variety of human organs.
Subject(s)
Cells, Cultured , Membranes, Artificial , Animals , Humans , Hybridomas , Tumor Cells, CulturedABSTRACT
The BioBreeding (BB) rat develops spontaneously a syndrome resembling human type I diabetes mellitus. The short-term treatment of newly diagnosed diabetic BB rats with the anti-interleukin 2 receptor (IL 2R) monoclonal antibody ART-18 in combination with a subtherapeutic dose of cyclosporin A for 10 days, a treatment shown previously to eliminate specifically antigen-activated IL2R+ T lymphocytes by sparing suppressor cells, resulted in normoglycemia in 70% of the animals, the maintenance of B cell volume density and an increase in pancreatic insulin content. Moreover, the glucose tolerance of successfully treated animals was not significantly different from that of normoglycemic BB rats during the whole observation period (up to 120 days after the end of the therapy). This is the first report on successful treatment of a spontaneous autoimmune disease by a short-term and specific immunosuppressive regimen with limited side effects.
