Patent ID: 6048525
Filing Date: 2000-04-11
Classification: A61K,A61P

Abstract:
A method for treating graft versus host disease in a mammal during bone marrow transplantation, the method comprising:(a) implanting, within the mammal, a population of hematopoietic cells which comprises an effective amount of T lymphocytes comprising a DNA sequence that provides for expression of a thymidine kinase gene, wherein said population of hematopoietic cells is obtained by infecting ex vivo hematopoietic cells with a retroviral particle comprising said DNA sequence and selecting those cells which have been infected with said retroviral particle, and wherein said DNA sequence comprises:(i) a regulatory sequence, where the regulatory sequence causes the expression of the thymidine kinase in T lymphocytes which are activated by an activation signal supplied to the T lymphocytes by an antigen that induces graft versus host disease, and(ii) operably lined to said regulatory sequence, a coding sequence which encodes the thymidine kinase; and(b) administering gancyclovir or acyclovir to the mammal, so that the gancyclovir or acyclovir interacts with the thymidine kinase to induce destruction of the T lymphocytes when said antigen is present, thereby treating graft versus host disease in said mammal.