A new treatment for blood cancers that utilizes the immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells may be effective in treating solid tumors more efficiently. Recently, a study by Dan Cappabianca and Krishanu Saha at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery found that making changes to the conditions in which T cells are grown can enhance Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, leading to this breakthrough discovery by chance.
T cells are important white blood cells that play a key role in the immune system’s response to infections and cancer. These cells can be genetically modified using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to express a specific receptor that redirects them to target cancer cells, particularly those in tumors. Similar to how vaccines train the immune system, T cells can “remember” pathogens they have encountered, allowing for a quicker and stronger response upon re-exposure.
For T cells to be an effective cancer treatment, they need to be cultivated under specific laboratory conditions. The process involves activating the T cells in a low-nutrient medium to induce stress and trigger processes that enhance their ability to target tumors and form memory cells. Subsequently, they are moved to a high-nutrient medium to support rapid growth and multiplication of T cells.
This “metabolic priming” method helps the treated cells retain stem cell-like qualities, improving their ability to kill cancer cells, develop into lasting memory cells, and survive longer in the body. By briefly restricting sugar exposure during the manufacturing process, the T cells exhibit reduced maturity, which can prolong their effectiveness in fighting cancer when reintroduced into patients.
The two-step process also enhances cell memory, which is critical in CAR T-cell therapy for long-term cancer recognition and combat. In recent trials, patients treated with T cells grown using this new approach showed a significant reduction in tumors, demonstrating a higher success rate compared to previous clinical trials without the two-step process.
Further research is necessary to fully understand the factors that contribute to the longevity and efficacy of these CAR T cells in battling solid tumors. Researchers are optimistic that this metabolic priming technique can be tailored for large-scale production with the aim of treating patients in the near future.
In the words of Saha, “chance played a role in our discovery journey,” highlighting the importance of being open to unexpected findings in scientific research.
