The present invention provides methods and compositions for converting a T cell into a cell that exhibits at least one regulatory T cell phenotype. The converted T cell is generated by contacting a T cell with a cell that is modified to comprise an agent capable of activating PD1 signaling in a T cell. The converted T cell is useful for preventing, suppressing, blocking or inhibiting an immune response. For example the converted T cell is useful for preventing rejection of a transplanted tissue in a human or other animal host, or protecting against graft versus host disease. The converted T cell can also be used to treat autoimmune diseases.

The present invention relates to a method for generating semi-mature dendritic cells by treating immature dendritic cells with the auto-antigen, cytokine, and PGE2 as a target for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, in which the levels of NR4A2 and/or UBASH3B at gene or protein are increased more than 2-fold compared to the immature dendritic cells In addition, the present invention relates to a cell therapeutic agent for treating or preventing autoimmune diseases, containing the semi-mature dendritic cells as an active ingredient. The present invention increases the therapeutic efficacy on rheumatoid arthritis retaining responsiveness to the same auto-antigen that being used for preparing semi-mature dendritic cells, thereby enabling cell therapy.

The invention relates to a centrifuge for separating a sample into at least two components, comprising a chamber for receiving a sample to be centrifuged. According to the invention, the centrifuge further comprises a means for controlling the progress of the sample separation is located at the chamber.

Disclosed are compositions and methods of treating muscular dystrophies, including Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) through administration of fibroblasts and modified fibroblasts systemically and locally. In certain embodiments, fibroblast cells are utilized for replacement of dystrophin through fusion and/or other means of horizontal gene transfer. In other embodiments, the disclosure teaches the use of fibroblasts for reduction of inflammatory reactions and/or immunological reactions which propagate and enhance myodestructive aspects of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. In other embodiments, fibroblasts are utilized as vectors for gene therapy and/or gene modifications approaches.

The invention relates to a method for producing tolerogenic dendritic cells (tolDCs) with specific antigens, comprising the steps of: (a) culturing precursors of dendritic cells in an animal-serum-free medium, using cytokines, IL-4 and GM-CSF, in order to differentiate same in dendritic cells; (b) producing apoptotic cells; (c) culturing the dendritic cells obtained in step (b) in the presence of compounds having anti-inflammatory activity; (d) co-culturing the dendritic cells from step (d) with the apoptotic cells from step (c), such as to stimulate the endocytosis of the apoptotic cells by the dendritic cells; (e) and, by means of identification based on phenotypic evaluation, determining the production of tolerogenic dendritic cells (tolDCs) with specific antigens. The invention also relates to the tolDC cells produced with said method and to the use of said tolDCs with specific antigens in the production of a drug suitable for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.

The invention provides compositions for treating or preventing T1D (T1D), the compositions comprising one or more antigen presenting cells (APC) that have been pulsed with one or more bacteria and/or components of the bacteria, wherein the bacteria or their components confer upon the APCs the ability to inhibit the generation of diabetes-promoting T cells. The subject invention also provides a method of treating or preventing T1D in a subject, the method comprising administering APC that have been pulsed with one or more bacteria and/or components of the bacteria and wherein the bacteria or their components confer upon the APCs the ability to inhibit the generation of diabetes-promoting T cells.

A method for the treatment and/or the prevention of a disease or a symptom related to dysfunction of regulatory T cell immunomodulation includes administering to a subject in need thereof compositions that regulate regulatory T cell immunomodulatory function, in which the compositions may be prepared by contacting starting materials with phosphorylation pathway-related factors, the agonists or the antagonists thereof. The phosphorylation pathway-related factors are selected from: proto-oncogene protein PIM1 and the coding sequence thereof. The regulation is achieved by regulating the activity of regulators of regulatory T cells selected from the group: FOXP3, IL-2, GITR, CTLA4, and a combination thereof.

The present invention relates to small peptides, derived from the N-terminal domain of CEACAM5 (carcinoembryonic antigen family member 5), with the ability to stimulate the suppressive activity of CD8+ T cells in Crohn's disease. Pharmaceutical formulations, methods to treat patients with Crohn's disease, and methods to identify candidate peptides for treatment of Crohn's disease patients, are also disclosed.

This disclosure relates to a cellular-based therapies for modulating the level of regulatory T cells (Treg) and/or the level of pro-inflammatory T cells (Th17/Th1). To provide these therapeutic effects, a combination comprising at least one a cellular pro-tolerogenic preparation and at least one a cellular pro-inflammatory preparation are administered sequentially.

The present invention relates to an agent for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of an autoimmune disease, an agent for the formation of regulatory T cells (T.sub.Reg) in an organism and various methods in which the agents according to the invention are used.