Laser immunotherapy
A method of immunotherapy of a mammal or a laser device therefor, includes the step of treating one or more immune privileged cells, tissue or organs of said mammal with a laser to reduce or eliminate the immune privilege status of said one or more cells, tissues and/or organs to thereby elicit an immune response that is beneficial to the mammal. The method of immunotherapy avoids or minimizes lasting damage to the treated cells, tissues and/or organs. The laser treatment is typically, although not exclusively to the pigmented epithelium of the eye or eyes. The method may be for treating a disease or conditions selected from a bacterial infection, a viral infection, early AMD, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Typically, the radiant exposure level of the laser treatment is no greater than 60-100% of a visible effect threshold.
1. A method of immunotherapy of a mammal in need of such treatment, said method including the step of treating one or more immune privileged cells, tissues or organs of said mammal with a laser by delivering a pulse or sequence of laser pulses to the one or more immune privileged cells, tissues or organs of said mammal, each pulse having:
(A) a pulse duration in the range of 50 ps to 500 ns;
(B) a wavelength in the range 500 nm to 900 nm; and
(C) a pulse energy in the range 10 μJ to 10 mJ; and
wherein a radiant exposure level of the laser treatment administered to the one or more immune privileged cells, tissues or organs of said mammal is no greater than 60-100% of a visible effect threshold (VET) to reduce the risk of collateral damage to the one or more immune privileged cells, tissue or organs;
the laser treatment reducing or eliminating the immune privilege status of said one or more cells, tissues and/or organs to thereby elicit an immune response that is beneficial to the mammal.
2. The method of immunotherapy of claim 1 , which avoids or minimizes lasting damage to the treated cells, tissues and/or organs.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more immune privileged cells, tissues or organs include the eye, brain or testis.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more immune privileged cells, tissues or organs include the eye.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein laser treatment is to the pigmented epithelium (PE) of the eye or eyes.
6. The method of claim 1 , for treating a disease or condition selected from: a bacterial infection; a viral infection; Early age-related macular degeneration (AMD); glaucoma; diabetic retinopathy; multiple sclerosis; and a neurodegenerative condition.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the neurodegenerative condition is selected from Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a human.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiant exposure level is 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 100% of the VET.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the immune response is characterized by the elicitation of elements of the adaptive and/or innate immune systems.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the immune response includes the elicitation of one or more of CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells, B cells, antibodies, interleukins, cytokines, chemotactic factors, NK cells and/or myelomonocytic cells.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pulse wavelength is about 532 nm.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pulse duration is about 3 ns.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein radiant exposure is in the range 20 mJ/cm 2 to 300 mJ/cm 2 per pulse.