Disease model incorporation into an artificial immune system (AIS)

1. A method of evaluating a test agent in in vitro diseased cell model, said method comprising:

(a) administering a test agent to a vaccination site (VS) culture comprising a first substantially planar matrix, a plurality of cells consisting of endothelial cells and/or epithelial cells attached to the first matrix and a population of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), under conditions promoting test agent-directed maturation of dendritic cell precursors present in the population of PBMCs;

(b) transferring dendritic cells matured in the VS culture of (a) to a three-dimensional artificial lymphoid tissue equivalent (LTE) culture comprising a second matrix and a plurality of lymphocytes attached to the second matrix and culturing the LTE culture under conditions promoting activation of the lymphocytes by matured dendritic cells;

(c) adding diseased cells to the LTE culture of (b); and

(d) evaluating the viability of the diseased cells in the culture of (c), thereby evaluating a test agent in in vitro diseased cell model.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said evaluating comprises comparing the results of the evaluation with the results of an evaluation of an equivalent culture to which the test agent was not added.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diseased cells comprise a two-dimensional cell culture.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the diseased cells comprise a three-dimensional engineered tissue construct.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said three-dimensional engineered tissue construct is a tissue-engineered skin equivalent.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein said three-dimensional engineered tissue construct is a tissue-engineered mucosal equivalent.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said test agent is selected from the group consisting of vaccines, adjuvants, immunotherapy candidates, cosmetics, drugs, biologics, and chemical compounds.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said test agent is a vaccine.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said diseased cells are selected from the group consisting of virally infected cells, bacterially infected cells, tumor cells, and autoimmune disease-afflicted cells.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said VS culture comprises a plurality of endothelial cells attached to one side of the planar matrix and a plurality of epithelial cells attached to the opposing side of the planar matrix.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of epithelial cells is selected from the group consisting of keratinocytes, respiratory epithelial cells, skin epithelial cells, intestinal epithelial cells and oral epithelial cells.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of endothelial cells is human umbilical vein epithelial cells.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of epithelial cells further comprises melanoma cells.

14. A method of evaluating a test agent in in vitro diseased cell model, said method comprising:

(a) administering a test agent to a vaccination site (VS) culture comprising a first substantially planar matrix, a plurality of cells consisting of endothelial cells and/or epithelial cells attached to the first matrix and a population of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), under conditions promoting test agent-directed maturation of dendritic cell precursors present in the population of PBMCs;

(b) transferring dendritic cells matured in the VS culture of (a) to a three-dimensional artificial lymphoid tissue equivalent (LTE) culture comprising a second matrix and a plurality of lymphocytes attached to the second matrix and culturing the LTE culture under conditions promoting activation of the lymphocytes by matured dendritic cells;

(c) adding culture media obtained from the LTE culture of (b) to a culture of diseased cells; and

(d) evaluating the viability of the culture of diseased cells, thereby evaluating a test agent in in vitro diseased cell model.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said evaluating comprises comparing the results of the evaluation with the results of an evaluation of an equivalent culture to which the test agent was not added.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the culture of diseased cells comprises a two-dimensional cell culture.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the culture of diseased cells comprises a three-dimensional engineered tissue construct.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said three-dimensional engineered tissue construct is a tissue-engineered skin equivalent.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein said three-dimensional engineered tissue construct is a tissue-engineered mucosal equivalent.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein said test agent is selected from the group consisting of vaccines, adjuvants, immunotherapy candidates, cosmetics, drugs, biologics, and chemical compounds.

21. The method of claim 14 , wherein said test agent is a vaccine.

22. The method of claim 14 , wherein said diseased cells are selected from the group consisting of virally infected cells, bacterially infected cells, tumor cells, and autoimmune disease-afflicted cells.

23. The method of claim 14 , wherein said VS culture comprises a plurality of endothelial cells attached to one side of the planar matrix and a plurality of epithelial cells attached to the opposing side of the planar matrix.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of epithelial cells is selected from the group consisting of keratinocytes, respiratory epithelial cells, skin epithelial cells, intestinal epithelial cells and oral epithelial cells.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of endothelial cells is human umbilical vein epithelial cells.

26. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of epithelial cells further comprises melanoma cells.