Patent ID: 7413869
Filing Date: 2008-08-19
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for determining that antigen uptake has occurred for antigen presenting cell (APC) precursors and cell potency is increased to a therapeutically effective level, comprising: (a) prior to activating the APC precursors, measuring the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of the surface marker CD54; (b) incubating the precursors ex vivo with a conjugate preparation of an antigen and GM-CSF effective to activate the development of the APC precursors to antigen presenting cells (APC's), which is characterized by an ability to stimulate a therapeutic T cell response in vivo; (c) following the activation, measuring the MFI of the same cell surface marker in activated APC's; and (d) if the measured MFI of the surface marker following activation increases by an amount that is at least three times the standard deviation of the MFI measured prior to activation, identifying the cells as having been activated to a desired therapeutically effective level.