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.

1 . A method of reducing or eliminating neoplastic cells in an ex vivo mixture of normal, hematopoeitic cells and neoplastic cells, wherein the mixture is a suspension, 
 comprising incubating said mixture with an effective amount of a vesicular stomatitis virus, and administering an interferon to the mixture before, during or after incubating with said virus.    
   
   
       2 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said neoplastic cells are leukemia cells.  
   
   
       3 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said hematopoeitic cells are marrow cells.  
   
   
       4 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said hematopoeitic cells are peripheral blood cells.  
   
   
       5 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said virus is replication-competent.  
   
   
       6 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein said neoplastic cells are lymphoma cells.  
   
   
       7 . A method as in  claim 1  further comprising administering a chemotherapeutic agent to the mixture before, during or after incubating with said virus.