Engineered cells offer greater precision and safety than
previous versions.
27 APRIL 2018
Researchers have found a way to fine-tune the
activity level and targets of cancer-seeking immune cells.
Modified immune cells called CAR-T cells,
which target cancer cells, have shown promise against some tumours. But cancers
sometimes become resistant to the therapy, and CAR-T treatment itself can be
deadly if immune responses rage out of control.
To tackle these issues, Wilson Wong at Boston
University in Massachusetts and his colleagues upgraded the CAR-T system by
modifying the T cells’ molecular receptors. Experiments in human cells showed
that this change allows T cells to recognize more than one molecular target on
cancer cells. This could improve the immune cells’ specificity and reduce the
chance that tumours will become resistant to treatment.
The work also improved on the technique’s
safety. By injecting treated mice with a specific protein fragment, the authors
were able to reduce activation of the T cells, thereby tempering the immune
response.
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