CAR-T therapy This is one of the most important advances in the fight against cancer in recent years. Remission has even been achieved in several blood cancer patients. However, it presents an important problem in that it has many limitations compared to solid tumors. They are most common in cancer patients, so yes, they are effective weapons, but with very few targets. For this reason, scientists from several Spanish research centers have developed a treatment that turns CAR-T cells into Troy Horseable to fight a much wider range of tumors.
So far, it has only been tested on cell cultures and laboratory models. However, the results were good enough to start talking about. clinical trials in humans. They will be carried out by the Galician State Sanitary Services Company. GALARIA.
Therefore, there is still time to see if this cancer therapy is effective directly in patients. There are currently reasons for cautious optimism, as always when we talk about cancer treatment. At the very least, we can accept the fact that CAR-T therapy, even with its limitations, has become a very valuable strategy. This modification, which promises to make it even more efficient, could be great news.
What is CAR-T therapy?
When strange agent, as a bacterium or virus enters our body, the immune system begins to fight it. The immune army counts on this with several cells, among which T-lymphocytes. They recognize certain proteins in the foreign bodies they have to fight and bind to them in a very specific way. The system is similar to the system a key that fits the lock perfectly.
Once this binding occurs, they can either attack that foreign body directly or encourage other immune cells to come up to it and join in the attack. For example, they may facilitate the arrival macrophageswhich devour the threat that T-lymphocytes have joined.
This happens not only with microorganisms. This can also happen with any other substance that the body recognizes as foreign. Even with tumors. The problem is that sometimes there are no T cells that have wrench sufficient to effectively bind to a tumor that is starting to develop. This is where CAR-T cancer therapy comes into play.
It consists of several stages, which begin with the isolation of T-lymphocytes from the patient’s own blood. These genetically modified in the laboratoryso that they recognize specific tumor antigens. Or, what is the same, they are given wrench specifically to join your lock.
Thus, when they return to the body of a cancer patient, they can go directly to the tumor, attack it and stimulate a specific immune response. There have already been several cases of remission of leukemia due to this therapy. However, it has been shown to be much less effective against solid tumors. This is mainly due to the fact that these tumors are surrounded by a hostile environment for T-lymphocytes, so they can cease to be useful in a very short time.
Unfortunately, as promising as the therapy is, it is a major hurdle. But he may have a solution thanks to an investigation that is underway in Spain.
Trojan horse against cancer
A study aimed at eliminating this serious shortcoming of CAR-T therapy was carried out by scientists from Salamanca Cancer Research Center (CIC, joint research institute of CSIC and the University of Salamanca), Cancer Network Biomedical Research Center (CYBERONK), University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) and Center for Advanced Medical Research (CIMA) in Pamplona.
All of them have improved CAR-T therapy, consisting of encapsulation those modified T cells. Just like there are drugs that are encapsulated for controlled release, in this case, the capsule allows CAR-T cells to enter the tumor and only there begins to act. It keeps them outside a hostile environment surrounding tumor cells.
But that is not all. And it lies in the fact that compounds are also introduced into the capsules, which reduce this hostility. As one of the project researchers said in a statement, Jose Busteloit is as if the area was bombed after all air defenses were disabled.
Another advantage of this Trojan horse is that the capsules contain magnetic materials with multiple features. First, they can help them pass through the body. But, on the other hand, by stimulating the cancer patient with suitable equipment, a large increase in temperature can be favored, which will allow the tumor to be destroyed from the inside.
First, this therapy was tested in animal models and cell cultures of breast cancer. However, its authors believe that it may be effective in other solid tumors. We will have to wait and see what happens with clinical trials. At this point, it is clear that beyond the history of the Trojans and Spartans, a complete penetration of the enemy’s home could be the key to victory. And in the fight against cancer, every small victory is needed.
Source: Hiper Textual
