Hybrid cells for treating cancer patients

Abstract

The present invention relates to cancer treatment compositions and methods for treating a specific cancer patient population. In particular, the application describes methods of treating a patient with cancer, such as a neuroblastoma, with a hybrid cell preparation.

1 .- 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A hybrid cell preparation for a vaccine composition, comprising a hybrid of a normal cell that is a target cell to which immune tolerance is desired and an antigen-presenting cell which lacks an accessory factor required to generate a positive immune response, wherein said hybrid cell is labeled with at least two different markers, and wherein said preparation has been purified using the markers and without antibiotic or metabolic selection. 
     
     
         26 . The preparation according to  claim 25 , wherein said normal cell is isolated from a transplant organ. 
     
     
         27 . The preparation according to  claim 25 , wherein said markers are selected from the group consisting of fluorescent dyes and antibodies binding to differentially expressed surface markers. 
     
     
         28 . The preparation according to  claim 27 , wherein said fluorescent dyes are cyanine dyes. 
     
     
         29 . The preparation according to  claim 25 , wherein said antigen-presenting cell is an immature B cell. 
     
     
         30 . The preparation according to  claim 25 , wherein said antigen-presenting cell is a fibroblast cell. 
     
     
         31 . A method for treating a subject having an autoimmune disease, comprising:
 (i) preparing a hybrid cell preparation by a method comprising
 (a) contacting a population of normal cells that are target cells to which immune tolerance is desired with a first marker, 
 (b) contacting a population of antigen presenting cells lacking an accessory factor with a second marker, 
 (c) contacting said normal cells and said antigen presenting cells lacking an accessory factor under conditions that promote cell fusion, 
 (d) obtaining a resultant hybrid cell population stained with both the first and second markers, and 
 (e) purifying the resultant hybrid cell population, 
 wherein said method does not involve antibiotic or metabolic selection; and 
   (ii) administering the hybrid cell preparation to said subject.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising resuspending the resultant hybrid cell preparation of step (i) in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier before administering to said subject. 
     
     
         33 . A method of inducing an immune tolerance against a target cell in a subject comprising:
 (i) preparing a hybrid cell preparation by a method comprising
 (a) contacting a population of target cells with a first marker; 
 (b) contacting a population of antigen presenting cells lacking an accessory factor with a second marker; 
 (c) contacting said target cells and said antigen presenting cells lacking an accessory factor with one another under conditions that promote cell fusion; 
 (d) obtaining a resultant hybrid cell population stained with both the first and second markers; and 
 (e) purifying the resultant hybrid cell population by cell sorting, wherein said cell sorting does not involve antibiotic or metabolic selection, and 
   (ii) administering the hybrid cell preparation to said subject.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising resuspending the resultant hybrid cell preparation of step (i) in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier before administering to said subject. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the first marker is a fluorescent dye, the second marker is a different fluorescent dye, and the resultant hybrid cell population is purified by fluorescence activated cell sorting. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the target cell is isolated from an organ for transplant in the subject.