Methods of Determining the Suitability of Cultured Thymus Tissue for Implantation Into Humans and Associated Methods of Use

1 . A method for determining whether allogeneic cultured postnatal thymus tissue-derived product is suitable for implantation into a human, the method comprising:

(a) subjecting donor thymus tissue slices to a conditioning regimen in a thymus organ medium for a period of about 6 days to about 21 days; wherein the conditioning regimen for the donor thymus tissue comprises aseptically processing the donor thymus tissue slices in the thymus organ medium to produce partially T-cell depleted donor thymus tissue slices; and

(b) detecting a level of at least one marker in the thymus organ medium from the conditioning regimen, selected from L-selectin, CXCL16, M-CSF, CCL21, galectin-7, MIF, GDNF, CTACK, MIP-3b, ICAM-1, PECAM-1, IL-2Rg, SCF R, IL-16, GDF-15, PDGF-AA, CXCL12, MIP-3a, IL-2Ra, ICAM-3, LIGHT, IGFBP-1, BCMA, EGF R, uPAR, MIP-1b, PIGF, PF4, CCL11, HVEM, IGFBP-6, IL-6R. IL-12p40, RANTES, MICA, GCP-2, OPN, ALCAM, NRG1-B1, CEACAM-1, IL-1b, DKK-1, and ANG-1.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one marker is selected from L-selectin, M-CSF, galectin-7, IL-16, CCL21, CXCL12, CXCL16, and CCL11 in the thymus organ medium; wherein the level of the marker in the thymus organ medium is decreased if the marker is L-selectin, M-CSF, galectin-7, or IL-1 or increased if the marker is CCL21, CXCL12, CXCL16, or CCL11.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of: determining in the donor thymus tissue slices; areas positive for keratin AE1/AE3 scattered throughout the donor thymus tissue slices, the presence of at least one Hassall body, CK14 staining scattered throughout the donor thymus tissue slices, and the presence of intact nuclei during the conditioning regimen.

4 .- 6 . (canceled)

7 . A method of treating a thymic disorder in a subject, the method comprising:

(a) implanting into the subject having a thymic disorder allogeneic cultured postnatal thymus tissue-derived slices subjected to a conditioning regimen in a thymus organ medium for a period of from about 6 days to about 21 days; wherein the conditioning regimen for the donor thymus tissue comprises aseptically processing the donor thymus tissue in the thymus organ medium to produce partially T-cell depleted donor thymus tissue slices; and

(b) detecting the level of at least one marker in the thymus organ medium during the course of the conditioning regimen selected from L-selectin, CXCL16, M-CSF, CCL21/6Ckine, galectin-7, MIF, GDNF, CTACK, MIP-3b, ICAM-1, PECAM-1, IL-2Rg, SCF R, IL-16, GDF-15, PDGF-AA, CXCL12/SDFF-1a, MIP-3a, IL-2Ra, ICAM-3, LIGHT, IGFBP-1, BCMA, EGF R, uPAR, MIP-1b, PIGF, PF4, CCL11/Eotaxin, HVEM, IGFBP-6, IL-6R. IL-12p40, RANTES, MICA, GCP-2, OPN, ALCAM, NRG1-B1, CEACAM-1, IL-1b, DKK-1 and ANG-1.

8 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . A method for providing immune-competence in a human subject, comprising conditioning donor thymus tissue slices in a thymus organ medium for a period of about 6 days to about 21 days; wherein the conditioning regimen for the donor thymus tissue comprises aseptically processing the donor thymus tissue in the thymus organ medium to produce partially T-cell depleted donor thymus tissue slices; detecting the level of at least one marker in the thymus organ medium during the course of the conditioning regimen is selected from the markers from L-selectin, CXCL16, M-CSF, CCL21, galectin-7, MIF, GDNF, CTACK, MIP-3b, ICAM-1, PECAM-1, IL-2Rg, SCF R, IL-16, GDF-15, PDGF-AA, CXCL12, MIP-3a, IL-2Ra, ICAM-3, LIGHT, IGFBP-1, BCMA, EGF R, uPAR, MIP-1b, PIGF, PF4, CCL11, HVEM, IGFBP-6, IL-6R. IL-12p40, RANTES, MICA, GCP-2, OPN, ALCAM, NRG1-B1, CEACAM-1, IL-1b, DKK-1 and ANG-1; and implanting the partially T-cell depleted donor thymus tissue slices into the human subject.

22 .- 23 . (canceled)

24 . A method for providing immune-competence in a human subject undergoing a solid organ transplant, the method comprising:

(a) removing the thymus of the human subject;

(b) obtaining thymus tissue from a donor matching HLA-Class I and HLA-Class II alleles in the solid organ;

(c) slicing the donor thymus;

(d) conditioning the donor thymus tissue slices in a thymus organ medium for a period of about 6 days to about 21 days; wherein the conditioning regimen for the donor thymus tissue comprises aseptically processing the donor thymus tissue in the thymus organ medium to produce partially T-cell depleted donor thymus tissue slices;

(e) detecting the level of at least one marker in the thymus organ medium during the course of the conditioning regiment is selected from the markers L-selectin, CXCL16, M-CSF, CCL21, galectin-7, MIF, GDNF, CTACK, MIP-3b, ICAM-1, PECAM-1, IL-2Rg, SCF R, IL-16, GDF-15, PDGF-AA, CXCL12, MIP-3a, IL-2Ra, ICAM-3, LIGHT, IGFBP-1, BCMA, EGF R, uPAR, MIP-1b, PIGF, PF4, CCL11, HVEM, IGFBP-6, IL-6R. IL-12p40, RANTES, MICA, GCP-2, OPN, ALCAM, NRG1-B1, CEACAM-1, IL-1b, DKK-1 and ANG-1;

(f) implanting the solid organ; and

(g) implanting the partially T-cell depleted donor thymus tissue slices into the human subject.

25 .- 26 . (canceled)

27 . A method of promoting donor-specific tolerance to an allogeneic

solid organ transplant obtained from a human donor, in a recipient in need of a

solid organ transplant, the method comprising:

(a) removing the thymus of the recipient;

(b) treating the recipient with an induction immunosuppressive regimen comprising one or more immunosuppressive agent to deplete the recipient's T cells and/or to suppress the recipient's T cells from rejecting the transplanted solid organ;

(c) providing both a suitable solid human organ and a thymus gland from a donor;

(d) transplanting the solid human organ into the recipient;

(e) treating the recipient with a maintenance immunosuppressive regimen;

(f) providing an allogeneic cultured postnatal thymus tissue-derived product,

wherein the allogeneic cultured postnatal thymus tissue-derived product is subjected to a conditioning regimen in a thymus organ medium for a period of about 6 days to about 21 days to produce allogeneic cultured postnatal thymus tissue-derived product slices; further wherein the conditioning regimen for the donor thymus tissue comprises aseptically processing the donor thymus tissue in the thymus organ medium to produce partially T-cell depleted donor thymus tissue slices; detecting the level of at least one marker in the thymus organ medium during the course of the conditioning regimen is selected from the markers L-selectin, CXCL16, M-CSF, CCL21, galectin-7, MIF, GDNF, CTACK, MIP-3b, ICAM-1, PECAM-1, IL-2Rg, SCF R, IL-16, GDF-15, PDGF-AA, CXCL 12, MIP-3a, IL-2Ra, ICAM-3, LIGHT, IGFBP-1, BCMA, EGF R, uPAR, MIP-1b, PIGF, PF4, CCL11, HVEM, IGFBP-6, IL-6R. IL-12p40, RANTES, MICA, GCP-2, OPN, ALCAM, NRG1-B1, CEACAM-1, IL-1b, DKK-1 and ANG-1; and

(g) implanting the allogeneic cultured postnatal thymus tissue-derived product into the recipient after up to 21 days of conditioning regimen, wherein the dosage of thymus tissue slices is about 1,000-22,000 mm 2 of thymus tissue surface area/recipient body surface area in m 2 , and further wherein the implanted allogeneic cultured postnatal thymus tissue-derived product induces thymopoiesis and tolerance in the recipient.

28 .- 57 . (canceled)

58 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein detecting the level of at least one marker in the thymus organ medium from the conditioning regimen comprises detecting said level in a spent thymus organ medium from aseptically processing the donor thymus tissue in the thymus organ medium.

59 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein detecting the level of at least one marker in the thymus organ medium from the conditioning regimen comprises detecting a level of CCL21 in a spent thymus organ medium from aseptically processing the donor thymus tissue in the thymus organ medium.

60 . The method according to claim 59 , wherein detecting the level of CCL21 in the spent thymus organ medium is performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

61 . The method according to claim 59 , wherein the method further comprises comparing the level of CCL21 in the spent thymus organ medium to a baseline level determined at day 0 of conditioning donor thymus tissue slices in a thymus organ medium.

62 . The method according to claim 59 , wherein detecting the level of CCL21 in the spent thymus organ medium is based on a standard curve using sigmoidal, best-fit values, and a logarithmic scale, wherein a R2 value from the standard curve fit is ≥0.99.