New findings could make off-the-shelf CAR T cell therapy a reality
One of the main limitations of CAR-T cells is that the cells are taken from the patient and have to be customized for treatment. This forces patients to wait for their cells to be modified for infusion, which is precious time they may not have. Research has demonstrated a new advance that could allow standard […]
New therapeutic target could boost CAR T-cell therapy success in solid tumors
CAR-T therapy treatments have proven effective in patients with blood tumors, however, their efficacy in solid tumors has been limited due to a variety of factors, including the tumor microenvironment. For this reason, researchers used a 3D microfluidic model made from patient-derived organotypic tumor spheroids (PDOTS) to study the mechanisms of treatment resistance of CAR-T […]
Genome editing with the HDR-enhancing DNA-PKcs inhibitor AZD7648 causes large-scale genomic alterations
The CRISPR-Cas9 molecular complex is the tool most widely used by scientists around the world. It cuts double-stranded DNA at the exact point where the genetic material is to be modified. The cut activates two natural repair mechanisms, including homology-directed repair. To induce the cell to use this repair, researchers have recently begun using a […]
Barcoding small extracellular vesicles with new CRISPR-based system
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a groundbreaking CRISPR-based barcoding system to study small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), nanosized particles crucial in intercellular communication and disease progression. The system uses CRISPR gene-editing technology to introduce RNA barcodes into sEVs, allowing thousands of genes to be analyzed simultaneously in a single pooled experiment. CIBER (CRISPR-assisted […]
New approach reinvigorates exhausted T cells to improve tumor control
With continued exposure to tumours, T lymphocytes progressively lose their effectiveness due to the expression of co-inhibitory receptors that act as brakes. Exhausted T lymphocytes, which still retain some anti-cancer function, can deteriorate further until they reach a state of terminal exhaustion. Researchers found that a solute transporter called MCT11, which imports lactic acid, was […]
New platform mimics immune interactions to boost cancer treatment
Current methods of activating T cells do not sufficiently mimic the natural environment in which they interact with another key population of immune cells, a crucial connection for activating T cells and enhancing their ability to fight cancer. In a recent study published in Nature Nanotechnology, researchers introduced a powerful tool to overcome this limitation. Their innovative […]
Innovative immunotherapy harnesses natural killer T cells to combat solid tumors
In the fight against cancer, CAR-T cells have achieved remarkable results in treating blood cancers. However, they have proven largely ineffective against solid tumors. CAR-NKT cells, on the other hand, possess innate properties that make them particularly well-equipped to combat solid tumors. Specifically, they express a T cell receptor that recognizes glycolipid antigens presented by […]
Innovative CAR-T cells effectively target glioblastoma with reduced toxicity
Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor, with an average survival after diagnosis of less than two years, and against which current treatments remain ineffective. In recent years, immunotherapies have given patients hope, albeit with relatively modest success. One research team has succeeded in identifying a specific marker, PTPRZ1, on the surface […]
World-first therapy using donor cells sends autoimmune diseases into remission
The treatment’s success in three people raises hopes for mass production of cutting-edge CAR T therapies.
Cellular immunotherapy offers hope for solid tumors
To date, no effective cell therapy for solid cancers has been found. However, initial results from a small clinical trial show that a new cellular immunotherapy approach could effectively treat metastatic solid tumors. Researchers collected lymphocytes from each patient’s tumor as part of the trial. They then used sophisticated molecular characterization techniques to identify and […]