No longer rely solely on T cells to fight cancer! Laboratory engineered macrophages successfully engulf solid tumors
MOTO-CAR technology has been patented and may be developed into a universal cancer treatment product in the future
Quick Look
- A research team from Brigham Young University in the United States used nanogene engineering to modify macrophages and reduced solid tumors by 46% in mouse experiments.
- In in vitro tests, 90% of lung cancer cells were eliminated within 24 hours.
- The technology has been patented and licensed to biotechnology companies, but it is still in the pre-clinical development stage and has not yet been subjected to human clinical trials, and the relevant results have not been published in peer-reviewed journals.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Current immunotherapy has limited effect on refractory solid tumors, so scientists are turning their attention to macrophages. CAR-T therapy is mainly used for blood cancers and focuses on modifying T cells. MOTO-CAR technology targets macrophages that can easily penetrate solid tumors, trying to break through the bottleneck of traditional immune cells that are difficult to invade the tumor microenvironment.
An American research team is trying to genetically engineer "macrophages" to break through microenvironmental barriers and destroy refractory solid cancers. Blue immune cells with tentacles are shown latching on to and destroying reddish-brown tumor cells; schematic. (Drawing by this newspaper)
[Compiled by Chen Chengliang/Comprehensive Report] Current immunotherapy sometimes has unsatisfactory effects when targeting difficult solid tumors; now scientists are turning their attention to another main immune force of the human body. A research team from Brigham Young University (BYU) in the United States used nanogene engineering to modify "macrophages" that specialize in engulfing foreign bodies. In preliminary animal experiments, they successfully reduced solid tumors in mice by 46%.
The science news website "MedicalXpress" reported that this new technology called "MOTO-CAR" has been patented. Different from CAR-T therapy, which is currently commonly used to treat blood cancers and focuses on modifying "T cells", this technology targets macrophages that can easily penetrate inside solid tumors, trying to break through the bottleneck of traditional immune cells that are difficult to invade the tumor microenvironment.
Leverage the penetrating power of macrophages to restart immune attack
In the experimental design, the research team used nanoparticles to accurately deliver genetic instructions into macrophages to re-arm these immune guards. The modified macrophages can not only identify and phagocytose cancer cells in the body, but also pass the tumor's antigenic characteristics to other immune troops, awakening the overall defense line and forming long-term immune memory. In early in vitro cell culture tests, the technology even cleared 90% of invasive lung cancer cells within 24 hours.
The research team said that this technology is expected to develop towards pre-prepared universal products in the future, eliminating the extremely time-consuming and expensive individualized manufacturing problems of current cell therapies.
However, this technology is still in the very early preclinical development stage. Not only has it not yet launched human clinical trials, but the relevant results have not yet been formally published in peer-reviewed academic journals. The patent has been licensed to a biotechnology company founded by research leader Kim O’Neill to advance follow-up testing. Its safety and actual efficacy in the human body still need to be verified over a long period of time.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The technology will enter human clinical trials
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- When will this technology enter human clinical trials?
- What is its safety and actual efficacy in the human body?
- What is the estimated time to market for the universal product?
