Human T-cell population
The present invention has objects to provide a novel human T-cell population having both cytotoxic and immunosuppressive activities, and to a method for preparing the same. The above objects are attained by providing a human T-cell population which is obtainable by coculturing mononuclear cells, collected from human blood, with stroma cells and which has the following features: (1) being positive for CD3, CD25, CD28 and T-cell antigen receptor αβ; (2) essentially consisting of three groups of a CD4 positive and CD8 positive (CD4 + CD8 + ) T-cell group, a CD4 positive and CD8 dimly positive (CD4 + CD8 dim ) T-cell group, and a CD4 negative and CD8 positive (CD4 − CD8 + ) T-cell group; (3) exerting a cytotoxic activity against the cocultured stroma cells; and (4) exerting an immunosuppressive activity against activated T cells.
1. A human T-cell population obtainable by coculturing a mononuclear cell collected from human blood with a stroma cell, wherein:
(a) the human blood is selected from the group consisting of cord blood and peripheral blood;
(b) the human T-cell population contains cells that express CD3;
(c) the human T-cell population contains cells that express CD25;
(d) the human T-cell population contains cells that express CD28;
(e) the human T-cell population contains cells that express T-cell antigen receptor αβ;
(f) the human T-cell population contains subpopulations (i), (ii), and (iii), wherein
subpopulation (i) is a CD4 positive and CD8 positive (CD4 + CD8 + ) human T-cell group,
subpopulation (ii) is a CD4 positive and CD8 dimly positive (CD4 + CD8 dim ) human T-cell group, and
subpopulation (iii) is a CD4 negative and CD8 positive (CD4 − CD8+) human T-cell group;
(g) wherein at least 90% of the total cells in the human T-cell population are composed of subpopulation (i), subpopulation (ii), and subpopulation (iii);
(h) the human T-cell population is free of human or mouse stroma cells; and
(i) the human T-cell population produces interleukin-10 (IL-10).
2. The human T-cell population of claim 1 , wherein
7.9% to 51.6% of cells in the human T-cell population are subpopulation (i);
1.1% to 71.1% of cells in the human T-cell population are subpopulation (ii); and
11.8% to 79.4% of cells in the human T-cell population are subpopulation (iii);
wherein the % is defined as the cell number of each of said groups (a) to (c) to the total number of cells in said human T-cell population.
3. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the human T-cell population of claim 1 .