synNotch T cells tagged posts

“Cellbots” Programmable T cells chase down Cancer, deliver Drugs directly to tumors

Programmable T cells chase down cancer, deliver drugs directly to tumors

Killer T cells (green and red) surrounding a cancer cell. Credit: Alex Ritter, Jennifer Lippincott Schwartz, Gillian Griffiths/National Institutes of Health

In experiments with mice immune cells, called synNotch T cells, efficiently homed in on tumors and released a specialized antibody therapy, eradicating the cancer without attacking normal cells. In addition to delivering therapeutic agents, synNotch cells can be programmed to kill cancer cells in a variety of other ways. But synNotch cells can also carry out instructions that suppress the immune response, offering the possibility that these cells could be used to treat autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes or to locally suppress immune system rejection of transplanted organs.

“SynNotch is a universal molecular sensor that allows ...

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