Bioengineers sewed backpacks for lymphocytes

Asya Parfenova, Infox.ruScientists have learned how to put polymer "backpacks" on lymphocytes.

Now cells can carry drugs or magnetic nanoparticles "behind their shoulders" that will move them in the right direction.

According to Michael Rubner, the main author of the publication and head of the Center for Research and Engineering of New Materials at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT's Center for Materials Science and Engineering), they are the first who managed to attach an artificial object to the surface of a separate living cell.
The microruczac, which was put on the cage, is polymer. It consists of several layers. The first layer is a polymer that was attached to the surface where the reaction was carried out. A "payload" was applied on top of it – functional substance, for example magnetic nanoparticles. The last layer is also polymer. It acts as a Velcro for the cells – it catches them and holds them.

After assembling the "backpacks", live B- and T-lymphocytes were "released" into the reaction system, which fell into polymer traps. The researchers then cooled this surface, which led to the separation of the first polymer layer from the surface. So the cells could move on, but with the load already attached.

The attached object covers only a small part of the cell surface. So there is almost nothing that interferes with the interaction of the lymphocyte with the external environment. "Our goal was to disturb the cells as little as possible," one of the co–authors comments on the work Robert Cohen. – Modified lymphocytes remain viable for 48 hours after the "operation". And at the same time, T-lymphocytes continue to perform their normal functions and move normally, as if they were not wearing anything."

By "loading" lymphocyte microrucksacks with magnetic nanoparticles, bioengineers were able to control the movement of cells using a magnetic field. How vividly "loaded" cells move in a magnetic field can be viewed on the MIT website.

Massachusetts scientists did not accidentally choose T- and B-lymphocytes for their experiments. These two types of immune cells are present in a wide variety of tissues. So they can be directed to cancerous tumors, infected areas or lymphoid tissue. For example, chemotherapy with drugs delivered by targeted cells to the affected area may help to reduce the side effect of such treatment. In addition, such modified immune cells will help in the identification and visualization of tumor-affected areas, scientists believe.

Another interesting application is the engineering of living tissues. The particles attached to the cells will only allow them to connect in a certain order. So you can form a frame of growing tissue.

One of the advantages of such a modification, the authors note, is the ability to play with the structure and composition of the backpack before attaching it to the cells. This way you can choose the most effective configuration of the attached object. And the main thing is to make sure that the burden will not be toxic and will not kill its carrier.

Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru11.11.2008