Patent ID: 6669965
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: A61K,A61M,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of inhibiting the development of atherosclerotic plaques in a mammalian subject, comprising:(a) identifying a subject in need of inhibiting the development of atherosclerotic plaques; (b) extracting an aliquot of blood from said subject; (c) modifying the extracted blood aliquot extracorporeally by subjecting it to about 0.5-100 &mgr;g/ml of ozone gas and ultraviolet radiation at a temperature of from about 0Â° C. to about 56Â° C., so as to create in the blood aliquot, in comparison with an equal volume aliquot of the subject's unmodified blood, at least one of the following distinguishing features: (i) increased numbers of leukocytes exhibiting a condensed apoptotic-like morphology; (ii) a reduction in the number of leukocytes expressing the MHC Class II leukocyte cell surface specific protein HLA-DR; (iii) an upregulated expression on leukocytes of the CD-11a cell surface marker; and re-injecting the blood aliquot so modified into the subject, thereby inhibiting the development of atherosclerotic plaques in said subject.