CAR T cells will be able to work longer
This will improve the modern method of cancer treatment
Australian scientists have discovered a substance whose synthesis in modified immune cells designed to fight cancer helps them work longer.
The modern method of cancer immunotherapy is based on the creation of CAR T cells (chimaeric antigen receptor, chimeric antigen receptor). T-lymphocytes are taken from the patient, to which the gene of a certain protein – the cell surface receptor - is transmitted in the laboratory with the help of a specially created virus. This protein is able to selectively bind to cancer cell proteins. Thus, T-lymphocytes, having returned to the patient's body, are already trained to recognize and destroy cancer cells. For a number of cancer types, this method has shown very good results in recent years, but additional work is required to make CAR T cells more resistant.
A group of scientists from the University of Augusta, Australia, recently proved that CAR T cells remain active longer and destroy tumors more effectively when the STAT5 signaling molecule remains active in them. "Our study shows that the expression of the active form of STAT5 in T cells can significantly improve the therapeutic outcome in models of B-cell lymphoma in mice," says Professor Gang Zhou. – When a patient receives CAR T cells, a number of obstacles can interfere with treatment. CAR T cells may be blocked and not get into the tumor sites, or they may be short-lived or become dysfunctional after encountering cancer cells. Our research shows that after the addition of the activated STAT5 molecule, these T cells can find their way to the tumor and remain active after killing cancer cells. The STAT5 molecule can also help CAR T cells survive longer in the body to prevent cancer cells from returning."
Although more studies have yet to be conducted in the laboratory before STAT5 activation can be applied to humans, Gan Zhou hopes that this method will soon be able to be applied in clinical practice. To do this, it is necessary to develop a human form of the active STAT5 molecule, similar to the one used in experiments on mice, and also to assess its safety for patients.
The results of the study are published in the journal Science Immunology (Ding et al., Persistent STAT5 activation reprograms the epigenetic landscape in CD4+ T cells to drive polyfunctionality and antitumor immunity).
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru