METHODS OF TREATING OR PREVENTING NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES

1 . A method for treating or preventing an inflammatory neurological disease, the method comprising administering to the subject a population of cells enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inflammatory neurological disease is associated with or caused by a T cell response to an inflammatory stimulus.

3 . The method of claim 1 or 2 comprising administering a population of cells enriched for STRO-1 bright cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom.

4 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the inflammatory neurological disease is selected from the group consisting of multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, myasthenia gravis, transverse myelitis, leukodystrophy and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

5 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the disease is systemic lupus erythematosus.

6 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the disease is multiple sclerosis.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the disease is a chronic progressive form of multiple sclerosis or a relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis.

8 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the population enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom are administered systemically.

9 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the disease is a relapsing-remitting disease and the population enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom are administered during disease relapse to prevent or delay relapse of the disease.

10 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 9 , comprising administering an amount of the population enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom effective to increase the number of regulatory T (Treg) cells in the subject and/or at the site of pathogenesis of the disease.

11 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 10 , comprising administering between 2×10 6 to 8×10 6 STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof per kg.

12 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 11 , comprising administering between 3×10 6 to 6×10 6 STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof per kg.

13 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 12 comprising administering a low dose of STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the low dose of STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof comprises between 0.1×10 6 and 3×10 6 STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof per kg.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the low dose of STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof comprises about 3×10 6 STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof per kg.

16 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 15 , wherein the population enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom are administered once weekly or less often.

17 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 15 , wherein the population enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom are administered once every four weeks or less often.

18 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 17 , wherein the population enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof are genetically-engineered to express a molecule to block stimulation of T cells and/or the soluble factors are from such genetically-modified cells.

19 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 18 , wherein the population enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors therefrom are administered with a compound to block stimulation of T cells.

20 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 19 , wherein the population enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells are autogeneic or allogeneic and/or the soluble factors are derived from autogeneic or allogeneic cells.

21 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 19 , wherein the population enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny cells have been culture expanded prior to administration and/or prior to obtaining the soluble factors.

22 . A method for preventing an immune response in response to an antigen, the method comprising administering to the subject a population of cells enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the immune response is a T cell-mediated immune response.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the T cell-mediated immune response comprises T cell proliferation.

25 . The method of any one of claims 22 to 24 , wherein the T cell-mediated immune response is suppressed in response to a specific antigen and a T cell-mediated immune response in response to another antigen is not suppressed.

26 . The method of any one of claims 22 to 25 , wherein the subject has previously raised an immune response to the antigen and the population, progeny and/or soluble factors suppress a further immune response to the antigen.

27 . The method of claim 26 , comprising administering the population, progeny and/or soluble factors after the subject raises an immune response to the antigen to thereby prevent a further immune response to the antigen.

28 . The method of any one of claims 22 to 27 , wherein the immune response is suppressed for at least about 24 days following administration of the population of cells enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom.

29 . A method for inducing tolerance to an antigen in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject a population of cells enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom.

30 . The method of any one of claims 22 to 29 , wherein the antigen or the specific antigen is one against which an inflammatory response is raised.

31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the inflammatory response is causative of an inflammatory neurological disease.

32 . The method of any one of claims 1 to 31 , wherein the population of cells enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom is administered with a compound that treats or prevents an inflammatory neurological disease.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the compound is glatiramer acetate and/or beta-interferon.

34 . A population of cells enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom for use in the treatment or prevention of an inflammatory neurological disease and/or for suppressing an immune response against an antigen and/or for inducing tolerance to an antigen.

35 . Use of a population of cells enriched for STRO-1 + cells and/or progeny thereof and/or soluble factors derived therefrom in the manufacture of a medicament for treating or preventing an inflammatory neurological disease and/or for suppressing an immune response against an antigen and/or for inducing tolerance to an antigen.