Purging of cells using viruses

Abstract

The subject invention relates to viruses that are able to purge (reduce or eliminate) undesirable cells in a mixture of cells. Undesirable cells can include neoplastic cells, cells mediating graft-versus host diseases, and autoimmune cells. The subject invention also relates to the purging of undesirable cells from bone marrow or peripheral blood cell harvests in the treatment of mammals including cancer patients, transplant recipients, and patients with autoimmune disease.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of reducing or eliminating neoplastic cells in an ex vivo mixture of normal hematopoeitic cells and neoplastic cells by contacting said mixture with a virus.  
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said virus is an RNA virus.  
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said neoplastic cells are leukemia cells.  
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said hematopoietic cells are marrow cells.  
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said hematopoietic cells are peripheral blood cells.  
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 2  wherein said RNA virus is a single-strand RNA virus.  
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 6  wherein said single-strand RNA virus is a non-segmented, negative sense RNA virus.  
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 7  wherein said non-segmented, negative sense RNA virus is a rhabdovirus.  
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 8  wherein said rhabdovirus is vesicular stomatitis virus.  
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 7  wherein said non-segmented, negative sense RNA virus is a paramyxovirus.  
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 10  wherein said paramyxovirus is Newcastle disease virus.  
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 6  wherein said single-strand RNA virus is Sindbis virus.  
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 2  wherein said RNA virus is a double-strand RNA virus.  
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 13  wherein said double strand RNA virus is a reovirus.  
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 14  wherein said reovirus is reovirus type 3.  
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 13  wherein said reovirus is clonal.  
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 2  wherein said RNA virus is a replication-competent RNA virus.  
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 2  wherein said RNA virus is a replication-incompetent RNA virus.  
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said neoplastic cells are lymphoma cells.  
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 1  further comprising administering a chemotherapeutic agent before, during or after contacting with said virus.  
     
     
         21 . A method as in  claim 1  further comprising administering an interferon before, during or after contacting with said virus.  
     
     
         22 . A method of treating cancer in a mammal comprising: 
 a) removing bone marrow or peripheral blood cells from said mammal,    b) contacting said bone marrow or peripheral blood cells ex vivo with an RNA virus,    c) performing myeloablative treatment on said mammal, and    d) transplanting into said mammal the purged hematopoeitic cells of step b.    
     
     
         23 . A method as in  claim 22  wherein said myeloablative treatment is high dose chemotherapy.  
     
     
         24 . A method of treating cancer in a mammal receiving a bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplant comprising contacting the harvested cells of transplant cells ex vivo with a virus, and administering the purged cells to said mammal.