Patents by Inventor Anthony J. Demetris

Anthony J. Demetris has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Composition containing immature mammalian dendritic cells for enhancing tolerogenicity to foreign graft
    Patent number: 6224859
    Abstract: A novel transplantation method for enhancing tolerogenicity in a host mammal to a transplant graft specimen from a donor mammal is disclosed. According to this method, immature mammalian dendritic cells propagated in the presence of a cytokine are administered to the host mammal in advance of transplantation. Tolerogenicity is enhanced in the host mammal when the immature mammalian dendritic cells concentrate in T-dependent regions of secondary lymphoid tissue of the host mammal, where the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen by the immature mammalian dendritic cells is upregulated. Also disclosed is a novel method of effecting the maturation of immature dendritic cells in the presence of a cytokine and an extracellular matrix protein. These mature mammalian dendritic cells, which upregulate the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen, can then be used to enhance the immune response of a host mammal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: The University of Pittsburgh
    Inventors: Angus W. Thomson, Anthony J. Demetris, Thomas E. Starzl
  • Method of regulating dendritic cell maturation
    Patent number: 5871728
    Abstract: A novel transplantation method for enhancing tolerogenicity in a host mammal to a transplant graft specimen from a donor mammal is disclosed. According to this method, immature mammalian dendritic cells propagated in the presence of a cytokine are administered to the host mammal in advance of transplantation. Tolerogenicity is enhanced in the host mammal when the immature mammalian dendritic cells concentrate in T-dependent regions of secondary lymphoid tissue of the host mammal, where the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen by the immature mammalian dendritic cells is upregulated. Also disclosed is a novel method of effecting the maturation of immature dendritic cells in the presence of a cytokine and an extracellular matrix protein. These mature mammalian dendritic cells, which upregulate the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen, can then be used to enhance the immune response of a host mammal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh
    Inventors: Angus W. Thomson, Anthony J. Demetris, Thomas E. Starzl