Method and system for externally treating the blood
First Claim
1. A method for reducing the functioning population of nucleated cells in the blood supply of a human subject, comprising the steps of:
- withdrawing blood from said subject, and irradiating said withdrawn blood with UV radiation in the presence of an effective amount of a dissolved photoactive chemical agent having an affinity for the nucleic acid of the nucleated blood cells and capable when activated by said UV radiation of forming photo-adducts with DNA, to thereby effect chemical bonding between said photoactive chemical agent and the nucleic acid of the nucleated cells, thereby altering the said nucleic acid and inhibiting the metabolic processes of said nucleated cells; and
returning the irradiated blood to said subject.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system are disclosed for externally treating human blood, with the objective of reducing the functioning lymphocyte population in the blood system of a human subject. According to the method, blood is withdrawn from the subject and passed through an ultraviolet radiation field in the presence of from about 1 nanogram to 100 micrograms per ml of blood, of a dissolved photoactive agent capable of forming photo-adducts with lymphocytic-DNA, mobile cortisone receptors or antigen sites to thereby effect covalent bonding between the photoactive agent and the same, thereby inhibiting the metabolic processes of the lymphocytes or complexing them; and thereupon returning the irradiated blood to the subject. The withdrawn blood may be formed into an extracorporeal stream and flowed through a treatment station whereat the irradiation is effected, as for example by exposure to UV radiation; and such flow process may be conducted on a continuous basis. If desired, at least portions of the treated blood may then be separated, as for example by a continuous centrifuge, before returning the remaining diverted blood to the subject.
111 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for reducing the functioning population of nucleated cells in the blood supply of a human subject, comprising the steps of:
withdrawing blood from said subject, and irradiating said withdrawn blood with UV radiation in the presence of an effective amount of a dissolved photoactive chemical agent having an affinity for the nucleic acid of the nucleated blood cells and capable when activated by said UV radiation of forming photo-adducts with DNA, to thereby effect chemical bonding between said photoactive chemical agent and the nucleic acid of the nucleated cells, thereby altering the said nucleic acid and inhibiting the metabolic processes of said nucleated cells; and
returning the irradiated blood to said subject.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for reducing the population of lymphocytes with intense metabolic activity in the blood supply of a human subject, comprising the steps of:
withdrawing blood from said subject, forming said blood into an extracorporeal stream, flowing said stream through a treatment station, irradiating said withdrawn blood in said treatment station with UV radiation to the presence of about 1 nanogram to 100 micrograms of a dissolved psoralen capable when activated by said UV radiation to effect chemical bonding between said psoralen and said lymphocytes, thereby selectively inhibiting the metabolic processes of said lymphocytes; and
returning the irradiated blood to said subject.- View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
Specification