Scientists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) have discovered a way to fight cancer. The team genetically engineered cancer cells to release anticancer drugs at the site of established tumors and stimulate the immune system against disease. Trials in mice have proven promising as both a therapeutic and prophylactic vaccine.
Cancer vaccines are an emerging area of research in which patients are often administered proteins expressed at high levels by inactive tumor or cancer cells. This trains the immune system to recognize and attack existing tumors, preventing new tumors from spreading or appearing.
For the new study, the BWH team took a new approach using live tumor cells instead. more These cells are engineered using CRISPR to become dual agents. Cancer cells can travel long distances back to the site of an established tumor, where the engineered cells release a payload of cancer drugs and factors that alert the immune system to wipe them out. .
“Our team pursued a simple idea: to take cancer cells and turn them into cancer killers or vaccines,” said the study’s corresponding author. Khalid Shah said. “We are using genetic engineering to repurpose cancer cells to develop therapies that kill tumor cells, stimulate the immune system to destroy primary tumors, and prevent cancer.”
These therapeutic tumor cells (ThTCs) have been tested in mice with advanced glioblastoma, eliminating tumors in many animals, significantly increasing survival rates, and providing long-term immunity against recurrent and metastatic cancers. I understand. The tech also seemed safe, thanks to a kill switch that could be activated if needed to eradicate ThTC.
Results may be promising, but the usual caveats apply. In particular, animal studies do not always apply to humans. will continue.
A study was published in a journal Science Translational Medicine.
Source; Brigham and Women’s Hospital
