Generation and isolation of antigen-specific T cells

1. A method for generating and/or enriching antigen-specific T cells comprising:

(a) exposing a first population of cells wherein at least a portion thereof comprises antigen presenting cells to a paramagnetic bead wherein said paramagnetic bead has antigen attached thereto, such that said paramagnetic bead with antigen attached thereto is ingested by said APC;

(b) exposing a second population of cells wherein at least a portion thereof comprises T cells to the population of cells in part (a); thereby generating and/or enriching antigen-specific T cells through direct contact between said APC and said T cells; and

(c) isolating said APCs and antigen-specific T cells by means of a magnetic field.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said antigen-specific T cells are expanded according to the following method:

(a) exposing said T cells to an anti-CD3 antibody which is immobilized on a surface; and

(b) stimulating an accessory molecule on the surface of the T cells with an anti-CD28 antibody, wherein said anti-CD28 antibody is immobilized on the same surface as the anti-CD3 antibody;

thereby inducing expansion of said antigen-specific T cells.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising exposing said T cells to IL-15.

4. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising exposing said T cells to a natural ligand for CD137.

5. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising exposing said T cells to an anti-CD137 antibody.

6. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising exposing said T cells to an anti-NKG2D antibody or a natural ligand for NKG2D.

7. The method according to claim 2 wherein said antigen-specific T cells are expanded by exposing said antigen-specific T cells to a mitogen.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said mitogen is selected from the group consisting of phytohemagglutinin (PHA), phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and ionomycin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and superantigen.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein said antigen is selected from the group consisting of protein, glycoprotein, peptides, antibody/antigen complexes, whole tumor or virus-infected cells, fixed tumor or virus-infected cells, heat-killed tumor or virus-infected cells, tumor lysate, non-soluble cell debris, apoptotic bodies, necrotic cells, whole tumor cells from a tumor or a cell line that have been treated such that they are unable to continue dividing, allogeneic cells that have been treated such that they are unable to continue dividing, irradiated tumor cells, irradiated allogeneic cells, natural or synthetic complex carbohydrates, lipoproteins, lipopolysaccharides, transformed cells or cell line, transfected cells or cell line, transduced cells or cell line, and virally infected cells or cell line.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein said antigen is attached to said surface by an antibody/ligand interaction.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein said antibody/ligand interaction comprises an interaction between an antibody/ligand pair selected from the group consisting of anti-MART-1 antibody/MART-1 antigen, anti-WT-1 antibody/WT-1, anti-PR1 antibody/PR1, anti-PR3 antibody/PR3, anti-tyrosinase antibody/tyrosinase antigen, anti-MAGE-1 antibody/MAGE-1 antigen, anti-MUC-1 antibody/MUC-1 antigen, anti-α-fetoprotein antibody/α-fetoprotein antigen, anti-Her2Neu antibody/Her2Neu, anti-HIV gp120 antibody/HIV gp120, anti-influenza HA antibody/influenza HA, anti-CMV pp65/CMV pp65, anti-hepatitis C antibody/hepatitis C proteins, anti-EBV EBNA 3B antibody/EBV EBNA 3B antigen, and anti-human Ig heavy and light chains/Ig from a myeloma cancer patient, and anti-human Ig heavy and light chains/Ig from a CLL cancer patient.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein said antigen is chemically attached to said surface.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the attachment of said antigen to said surface comprises a biotin-avidin interaction.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein said population of cells wherein at least a portion thereof comprises APC is derived from a source selected from the group consisting of leukapheresis product, peripheral blood, lymph node, tonsil, thymus, tissue biopsy, tumor, spleen, bone marrow, cord blood, CD34 cells, monocytes, and adherent cells.