| abstract |
The invention relates to macrophages characterized in that they have the following properties: they present on their surface : antigen CD14 with a mean intensity of about 20 to about 200, antigen CD64 with a mean intensity of about 20 to about 200, they are substantially devoid of the surface antigens CD1a and CD1c, the presence and mean intensities respectively of CD14, CD64 and the absence of CD1a and CD1c being for instance determined by immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry analysis, they present a phagocytosis property such as determined by the following test: said phagocytosis capacity being evaluated by an uptake of formalin fixed yeast, for example by culturing macrophages for 2 hours, adding yeast in 1/10 macrophages/yeast ratio and incubating at 37 DEG C, 5% CO2 atmosphere for 2-3 hours fixing by the May-Gr}nwald-Giems a (MGG) staining, and the percentage of phagocytic macrophages being quantified for instance by microscopic analysis, they have the property of stimulating the proliferation of allogenic lymphocytes such as determined by the following test : allogenic primary mixed lymphocytes reaction (MLR) was carried out in 96-well microtiter plates by adding different numbers (2x10<3> to 2x10<5> in 100 mu l medium/well) of macrophages to 2x10<5> in 100 mu l medium/well of allogenic T cells purified from buffy coats and after 5 days incubation at 37 DEG C, cell proliferation was assessed by a colorimetric method, such as the hydrolysis of tetrazolium salt WST-1 (Boehringer Mannheim, Germany), (slightly red) to Formozan (dark red). |