Cell membrane proteins, compositions containing them and procedure for their preparation

Abstract

Compositions for the prevention of, and for the treatment of autoimmune diseases which comprise as active ingredient membrane material shed from autoimmune T lymphocytes, or T lymphocytes activated by a pressure application and release process. There is also provided a process for obtaining such active materials and for preparing pharmaceutical compositions for these.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for .[.recovering.]. .Iadd.obtaining from T lymphocyte cells .Iaddend.purified membrane .[.proteins from T lymphocyte cells.]. .Iadd.material .Iaddend.useful for preventing or treating a specific autoimmune disease.Iadd., .Iaddend.which comprises: (a) suspending .Iadd.in a buffer .Iaddend.T lymphocyte cells specific for the autoimmune disease .[.in a buffer.]..Iadd., which cells have been activated by incubation with an antigen specific for the autoimmune disease or with a T-cell mitogen.Iaddend.; .Iadd.and .Iaddend.   (b) subjecting the suspended cells to hydrostatic pressure and then releasing the pressure on the suspended cells.Iadd., said pressure being to a sufficient magnitude and for a time sufficient .Iaddend.so as to cause the cells to shed membrane .[.proteins.]. .Iadd.material .Iaddend.which retain biological activity.[.;   (c) centrifuging the depressurized suspension to remove cell fragments and produce a supernatant containing the membrane proteins; and   (d) treating the supernatant by ultracentrifugation so as to recover the purified membrane proteins.]..   
     
     
       2. A method of claim 1, wherein the suitable hydrostatic pressure is from about 500 to about 1500 atmospheres. .[.3. Purified membrane proteins derived from T lymphocyte cells specific for a specific autoimmune disease 
     
     
        produced by the method claim 1..]. 4. A composition for preventing or treating a specific autoimmune disease which comprises purified membrane proteins of claim .[.3.]. .Iadd.9 .Iaddend.specific for the autoimmune 
     
     
        disease, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 5. A method for preventing or treating a specific autoimmune disease in a subject which comprises administering to the subject by an appropriate route an effective amount of a composition of claim 4 to prevent or treat the 
     
     
        autoimmune disease. 6. Purified membrane proteins of claim .[.3.]. .Iadd.9 .Iaddend.wherein the autoimmune disease is multiple sclerosis, thyroiditis, diabetes (Type I), ankylosing spondylitis or rheumatoid 
     
     
        arthritis. 7. A method for preventing or treating in a subject multiple Sclerosis, thyroiditis, diabetes (Type I), ankylosing spondylitis, or rheumatoid arthritis which comprises administering to the subject an effective amount of a membrane protein of .[.caim.]. .Iadd.claim .Iaddend.6. .Iadd.8. Membrane material, for preventing or treating a specific autoimmune disease, shed from T-lymphocyte cells specific for the autoimmune disease, which cells have been activated by incubation with an antigen specific for the autoimmune disease or with a T-cell mitogen, wherein the membrane material is shed upon the hydrostatic pressure treatment of said activated specific T lymphocyte cells at a pressure and for a time sufficient to cause shedding of membrane material therefrom. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. Membrane material in accordance with claim 8, comprising the purified membrane proteins which are the same as those proteins remaining in the supernatant after ultracentrifugation of the total membrane material shed during the hydrostatic pressure treatment. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. Membrane material in accordance with claim 8, comprising the membrane fragments which are the same as those fragments which are removed by ultracentrifugation of the total membrane material 
     
     
        shed during the hydrostatic pressure treatment. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11.  A method in accordance with claim 1, further including the step of subjecting the shed membrane material to ultracentrifugation and recovering only the purified membrane proteins which remain in the supernatant after said ultracentrifugation. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. A method in accordance with claim 1, further including the step of subjecting the shed membrane material to ultracentrifugation and recovering only the membrane fragments which are removed by said ultracentrifugation. 
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.13.  A composition for preventing or treating a specific autoimmune disease which comprises membrane material in accordance with claim 8 specific for the autoimmune disease, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. A composition for preventing or treating a specific autoimmune disease which comprises membrane material in accordance with claim 10 specific for the autoimmune disease, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. A method for preventing or treating a specific autoimmune disease in a subject which comprises administering to the subject by an appropriate route an effective amount of a composition of claim 13 to prevent or treat the autoimmune disease. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. A method for preventing or treating a specific autoimmune disease in a subject which comprises administering to the subject by an appropriate route an effective amount of a composition of claim 14 to prevent or treat the autoimmune disease. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. Membrane material of claim 8, wherein the autoimmune disease is multiple sclerosis, thyroiditis, diabetes (Type I), ankylosing spondylitis or rheumatoid arthritis. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. Membrane material of claim 10, wherein the autoimmune disease is multiple sclerosis, thyroiditis, diabetes (Type I), ankylosing spondylitis or rheumatoid 
     
     
        arthritis. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19.  A method for preventing or treating in a subject multiple sclerosis, thyroiditis, diabetes (Type I), ankylosing spondylitis, or rheumatoid arthritis which comprises administering to the subject an effective amount of the membrane material of claim 8. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A method for preventing or treating in a subject multiple sclerosis, thyroiditis, diabetes (Type I), ankylosing spondylitis, or rheumatoid arthritis which comprises administering to the subject an effective amount of the membrane material of claim 10. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.     A method in accordance with claim 1, further including the step of recovering by centrifugation the membrane material shed from the 
     
     
        suspended cells. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22.  A method for obtaining from T lymphocyte cells purified membrane material useful for preventing or treating a specific autoimmune disease, which comprises: (a) suspending in a buffer T lymphocyte cells specific for the autoimmune disease, which cells have been activated by incubation with an antigen specific for the autoimmune disease or with a T-cell mitogen;   (b) subjecting the suspended cells to hydrostatic pressure and then releasing the pressure on the suspended cells, said pressure being to a sufficient magnitude and for a time sufficient so as to cause the cells to shed membrane material which retain biological activity; and   (c) recovering the membrane material shed from the suspended cells. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. Membrane material, for preventing or treating a specific autoimmune disease, shed from T-lymphocyte cells specific for the autoimmune disease, which cells have been activated by incubation with an antigen specific for the autoimmune disease or with a T-cell mitogen, wherein the membrane material is recovered from the hydrostatic pressure treatment of said activated specific T lymphocyte cells at a pressure and for a time sufficient to cause shedding of membrane material therefrom. .Iaddend.