January 28, 2025
Keio University School of Medicine
A research group led by Professor Yuki Kagoya and Senior Lecturer Yusuke Ito of the Department of Cancer Immunology at the Institute for Advanced Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, in collaboration with Associate Professor Seiichi Ohta of the Graduate School of The University of Tokyo and Chitose Oneyama, Head of the Division of Cancer Cell Regulation at the Aichi Cancer Center, has successfully developed nanoparticle-sized cell membrane vesicles. These vesicles serve as a new treatment for cancer by activating immune cells to attack cancer cells.
Research and development of cancer immunotherapy, which applies the body's immune system to cancer treatment, is actively underway. Several drugs are already in use, particularly inhibitors for immune checkpoint molecules and bispecific antibodies, which enable T cells to carry out attacks. However, while these treatments often show a temporary therapeutic effect, recurrence is common. It is generally understood that T-cell activation involves multiple molecules, and achieving optimal activation with a single drug is considered difficult.
In this study, the researchers prepared cells with multiple molecules involved in T-cell activation on their surface. By isolating the cell membranes, they created cell membrane vesicles approximately 100–150 nm in size. Basic research has demonstrated that administering these vesicles can induce T cells within the body to attack cancer. The findings of this study were published in theJournal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, the journal of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, on January 27, 2025 (US Eastern Time).
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