Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States have developed a technology based on fine nanoparticles to redirect immune cells toward disease-causing cells, a step that could pave the way for developing new treatments for some types of cancer and autoimmune diseases.
The Institute stated yesterday, Tuesday, via its website, that the technology uses lipid nanoparticles to deliver genetic instructions to a type of immune cell known as Natural Killer (NK) cells, aiming to enable them to recognize and destroy target cells, without the need to extract immune cells from the patient's body, modify them in a laboratory, and then return them.
Researchers clarified that this method could contribute to simplifying the production of immunotherapies and reducing their costs, as the nanoparticles act as carriers for genetic instructions that help immune cells target specific cells, such as cancer cells or immune cells that mistakenly attack body tissues.
Study results showed that the technology allowed the reprogramming of approximately 80 percent of the targeted immune cells. Experiments on research models for melanoma, a type of skin cancer, and T-cell lymphoma showed a reduction in tumor size, with tumors disappearing in some cases.
Regarding autoimmune diseases, results indicated that the technology helped target T-cells attacking the liver in cases of autoimmune hepatitis, leading to a reduction in these cells and minimizing damage to the liver in the studied models.
The significance of this technology lies in the ability to modify immune cell functions within the body, rather than subjecting them to complex laboratory modification processes, which could facilitate the development of some immunotherapies and expand their scope of use in the future.
Researchers hope these results will pave the way for developing new treatments for some types of cancer and autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, although further studies are needed to assess the technology's efficacy and safety in humans.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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