Activation and expansion of T cells
The present invention relates generally to methods for activating and expanding cells, and more particularly, to a novel method to activate and/or stimulate cells that maximizes the expansion of such cells to achieve dramatically high densities. In the various embodiments, cells are activated and expanded to very high densities in a short period of time. In certain embodiments, cells are activated and expanded to very high numbers of cells in a short period of time. Compositions of cells activated and expanded by the methods herein are further provided.
1. A method for expanding a population of T cells from a B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) patient by cell surface moiety ligation, comprising:
a. selecting a patient having B-CLL;
b. providing a population of cells from the patient wherein at least a portion thereof comprises T cells;
c. contacting said population of cells for about two hours with a surface, wherein said surface is a surface of a paramagnetic particle and wherein said surface has attached thereto a first agent that ligates a TCR/CD3 complex of a T cell in said population of cells, and a second agent that ligates a CD28 accessory molecule of said T cell;
d. applying a magnetic force that predominantly drives simultaneous T cell concentration and ligation of the TCR/CD3 complex and the CD28 accessory molecule of said T cells;
e. seeding said population of cells at a concentration of between about 0.2×10 6 and 5.0 ×10 6 cells/ml in a closed system comprising a disposable bioreactor bag comprising at least one inlet filter and one outlet filter and further contacting said T cells with said surface;
f. perfusing medium through said closed system at about 1 ml/minute staffing at about day 8;
g. rocking said bioreactor bag on a rocking platform at about 5-15 rocks/minute;
and wherein said T cells expand to a concentration of about between 15 ×10 6 cells/ml to about 50×10 6 cells/ml in less than about two weeks.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said surface is biocompatible.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said surface is natural or synthetic.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the biocompatible surface is biodegradable.
5. The method of claim 2 wherein the biocompatible surface is non-biodegradable.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first agent is an antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, and the second agent is an antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said first agent is an anti-CD3 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof and said second agent is an anti-CD28 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof.