Patent ID: 8563308

Claim:
A method for producing an isolated, antigen specific culture-expanded CD25 + CD4 + T suppressor cell population, comprising: a) purifying a population of CD25 − CD4 + T cells; b) purifying a greater than 90% population of immature dendritic cells; c) contacting the population of CD25 − CD4 + T cells with the immature dendritic cells; an antigen selected from the group consisting of an antigenic peptide or an antigenic protein; and TGF- β1, for a period of time resulting in antigen-specific CD25 + CD4 + T cell differentiation and expansion, wherein the ratio of the immature dendritic cells to the CD25 − CD4 + T cells is between 1:1 and 1:10 and the concentration of the antigen is 30-100 ng/ml; and d) isolating the expanded CD25 + CD4 + T cells obtained in (c), thereby producing an isolated, antigen specific culture-expanded CD25 + CD4 + T suppressor cell population with an in vivo immune suppressive activity, wherein the CD25 + CD4 + T suppressor cell population do not express IL-10.