Scientists create 'invisible weapon' to destroy cancer

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications has revealed a breakthrough in the field of immunology: Scientists have created 'invisible' immune cells that can destroy cancer.

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard Medical School (USA) have developed a type of immune cell called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-NK) - natural killer cells, which include genetically modified natural killer cells to find and destroy cancer cells more effectively, according to the science news site Scitech Daily.

The study was conducted on mice with human-like immune systems, allowing to assess the cells' ability to function in a real biological environment.

Scientists have developed a type of immune cell called a natural killer that can find and destroy cancer cells more effectively.

Illustration: AI

The results showed that the new CAR-NK cells could kill most cancer cells without being detected or attacked by the host’s immune system, which has been a major barrier in current cell therapies. In tests, the cells survived for at least three weeks in the mice and almost completely eliminated the tumors, while natural killer cells are usually eliminated after only two weeks, causing the cancer to spread rapidly.

According to Professor Jianzhu Chen, a biologist at MIT, this technique creates immune cells that both avoid rejection and kill cancer more strongly and safely.

The team discovered that to “hide” from the immune system, natural killer cells need to reduce the expression of HLA class I proteins – factors that cause T cells to recognize them as “foreign” and attack. They used siRNA to suppress HLA class I genes, while adding single-chain PD-L1 or HLA-E genes to increase their ability to kill cancer cells. All of this was packaged in a single piece of DNA, making the editing process quick and simple.

Scientists say that thanks to its ability to avoid immune responses and reduce the risk of cytokine release syndrome - a dangerous side effect often seen in CAR-T therapy - this new type of cell could become a safer alternative to CAR-T therapy in the future.

The research team is currently planning clinical trials and collaborating with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (USA) to expand the application to treat lymphoma and even the autoimmune disease lupus, according to Scitech Daily.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cac-nha-khoa-hoc-tao-ra-vu-khi-tang-hinh-tieu-diet-ung-thu-185251009152917689.htm