A Novel Method to Expand Regulatory T Cells

Project Description: Autoimmune diseases are caused when a person's immune system attacks his/her own cells and tissues, resulting in sometimes permanent or gradually worsening organ damage. In autoummune diseases, the cells of the immune system on the attack are called T-cells. T-cells can be controlled by another cell type, calle regulatory Tcells (Tregs). Tregs decrease the activity of Tcells and dampen the autoimmune response. Researchers are now investigating methods of growing and increasing the numbers of Tregs cultured in a laboratory, in the expectation that increasing the production of regulatory immune cells will provide an immunotherapeutic method for reducing an autoimmune response. Using a proprietary method for growing and expanding Tregs in culture, the researchers will test whether inject of Tregs will decrease signs and symptons of multiple sclerosis.