Scientists unveil TCRαβ+ CD4- CD8- DN T cells, a potent force against various cancers, offering promising prospects in immunotherapy.
T-cells, a category of lymphocytes, are specialized white blood cells crucial for immune system function. They play a vital role in defending the body against pathogens and preventing diseases.
Cancer is a disease that occurs when some cells in the body grow out of control and form tumors that can invade and damage other tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood or lymphatic system, a process called metastasis. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and there are many types of cancer that affect different organs and tissues.
Harnessing the Immune System: The Key to Cancer Treatment
One of the main ways to treat cancer is by using the immune system, which is the body’s natural defense against infections and diseases.
The immune system consists of various types of cells and molecules that can recognize and eliminate foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. However, sometimes the immune system fails to recognize or attack cancer cells, because they are derived from the body’s own cells and can evade or suppress the immune response.
The Role of T Cells in Fighting Cancer
Therefore, scientists have been trying to find ways to enhance the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, by using various strategies such as vaccines, antibodies, cytokines, and cell therapies. One of the most promising approaches is to use a type of immune cell called a T cell, which can directly kill infected or abnormal cells.
T cells have receptors on their surface that can bind to specific molecules called antigens, which are present on the surface of other cells. When a T cell recognizes an antigen that belongs to a foreign invader or a cancer cell, it becomes activated and releases chemicals that can destroy the target cell.
Discovering a New Type of T Cell: TCRαβ+ CD4- CD8- DN T Cells
However, not all T cells are the same. There are different types of T cells that have different functions and characteristics. For example, there are CD4+ T cells, which help coordinate the immune response and activate other immune cells; CD8+ T cells, which can directly kill infected or abnormal cells; and regulatory T cells (Tregs), which suppress the immune response and prevent autoimmunity.
There are also different types of receptors on T cells that can recognize different antigens. For example, there are TCRαβ+ T cells, which have a receptor composed of two chains called alpha and beta; and TCRγδ+ T cells, which have a receptor composed of two chains called gamma and delta.
Engineering TCRαβ+ CD4- CD8- DN T Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy
Recently, a team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of Pennsylvania has discovered a new type of T cell that can recognize and kill many types of cancer cells. The cell is called a TCRαβ+ CD4- CD8- double-negative (DN) T cell, because it has a receptor composed of alpha and beta chains, but lacks both CD4 and CD8 molecules on its surface.
The researchers found that this cell has a unique receptor that can bind to a wide range of antigens, including those from melanoma, breast, lung, and ovarian cancers.
Promising Results: Effective Cancer Cell Killing with Minimal Side Effects
The researchers also found a way to engineer these cells from blood stem cells and expand them in the lab, opening the possibility of using them as a novel immunotherapy for cancer.
They showed that these cells could effectively kill cancer cells in mice without causing any toxicity or side effects. They also showed that these cells could work together with other types of immune cells, such as natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages, to enhance the anti-tumor response.
The Potential of TCRαβ+ CD4- CD8- DN T Cells in Cancer Treatment
The researchers believe that these cells could be used to treat patients with various types of cancers that are resistant to conventional therapies or have no effective treatments available. They also hope that these cells could be used to prevent cancer recurrence or metastasis by eliminating any remaining cancer cells in the body after surgery or chemotherapy.
The Path Forward: From Discovery to Clinical Trials
The commercial launch of TCRαβ+ CD4- CD8- double-negative (DN) T cell therapy is not yet certain, as the technology is still in the early stages of development and testing.
According to one of the web search results, the researchers who discovered this new type of immune cell have filed a patent application and are planning to start a clinical trial in collaboration with a biotechnology company.
However, they did not specify the timeline or the target indications for the trial. Therefore, it may take several years before this technology becomes available for patients with various types of cancers.
Funding and Collaborations: Support for Advancing Cancer Immunotherapy
The study was published in the journal Nature and was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the Blavatnik Family Foundation.