Macrophages from blood cancer cells

Scientists have managed to turn cancer cells into immune cells

Copper News based on IFL Science: Scientists Convert Cancer Cells Into Harmless Immune CellsDuring experiments to prolong the life of cancer cell culture in the laboratory, scientists from Stanford inadvertently reprogrammed leukemia cells into macrophages that can help destroy other tumor cells in the body.

The researchers studied one of the types of acute lymphoblastic leukemia – B-cell. This is an extremely aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis, when immature B cells lose the ability to differentiate into mature ones.

Scientists were trying to find a way to prolong the life of the cells isolated from the oncopatient's body so that more experiments could be carried out on them. To do this, they affected them with various factors in a random order.

Unexpectedly, after applying one of the transcription factors, the cells changed their morphological features, becoming macrophages. Further analysis showed that the expression of genes and the functions performed also became macrophage: for example, cells acquired the ability to capture bacteria. Moreover, when the transformed cells were injected into mice, they did not form a tumor.

Scientists believe that such a culture can help in the fight against cancer cells from which they were obtained. The next stage of research will be the development of a clinically valid cancer treatment technique.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru19.03.2015