T-cell vaccination (autovaccination) for autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases is a consequence of immune reactions directed against own cells and tissue in the body. A pivotal role in those reactions belongs to self-reactive lymphocytes triggering tissue-destructive processes. The standard treatment for autoimmune diseases is based on administering medications (hormones, cytostatic drugs) possessing nonspecific (nonselective), immunodepressive action. Such a treatment is unable to make a complete recovery from the disease and is associated with serious side effects.

The autovaccination-based technology, that has been developed in CICT, exploits natural immunoregulatory mechanisms and is aimed to stimulate patient’s immune reactions directed selectively against the pathogenic, self-reactive Т lymphocytes responsible for disease development.

The technology of preparing an individual, polyclonal T-cell vaccine consists of two successive stages:

• The stimulation of self-reactive Т cells by tissue antigens in vitro.
• The propagation of self-reactive T-lymphocytes by their nonspecific, mitogenic stimulation.

T-cell vaccine is given subcutaneous. The immune-mediated, selective inactivation of self-reactive T lymphocytes may results in inhibiting disease development. Since autovaccinotherapy triggers the mechanism of the immune memory, its influence on the patient’s immune system may be time-continuous and of long duration.

Polyclonal T-cell vaccination is applied in CICT for the following autoimmune diseases.

• Multiple sclerosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis