Synthetic mini-lymphocytes for cancer treatment

These are mini immune cells formed by a synthetic core wrapped in lymphocyte membranes (called biomimetic nanoparticles) obtained from cancer patients and which have shown significant improvement in the treatment of this disease.

In this studio, Researchers present a novel approach to drug delivery that takes advantage of tumor cells’ ability to evade attacks from the immune system.

In this way, they are able to take advantage of this strength of tumors and turn it into a vulnerability that enables personalized treatments aimed at cancer cells. To do this, the research team successfully developed biomimetic nanoparticles that act as mini-synthetic lymphocytes obtained from patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

These nanoparticles mimic immune system cells that tumors typically deactivate and contain a chemotherapy drug in their core. This gives these mini-avatars the ability to very specifically recognize cancer cells, making it easier to kill them with the chemotherapy they are hiding.

Synthetic mini-cells

These mini-synthetic immune cells have molecules such as PD1 on their surface, similar to those found on lymphocytes deactivated by tumors. This allows them to specifically recognize cancer cells with complementary molecules.

The researchers showed that these nanoparticles firmly attach to tumor cells via PDL1, improving the accumulation of the chemotherapy drug in tumor tissue, increasing its effectiveness and reducing doses and side effects. Moreover, these mini-cells act in two ways: they specifically deliver the drug load and work similarly to immunotherapy based on the interaction between PD1 and PDL1.

This dual action not only kills cancer cells, but also reduces the tumor’s ability to deactivate the immune system, improving the tumor microenvironment. These results promise future clinical applications of synthetic mini-lymphocytes for personalized cancer treatment, called personalized adoptive nanotherapy.

Therapeutic benefits

The therapeutic advantage of these mini-lymphocytes is enhanced because they are partially formed by cells obtained from the patients themselves, which guarantees biocompatibility and the absence of toxicity. In addition, the methodology used by the researchers does not require complex engineering techniques, which facilitates its clinical application.

Not only will this improve treatment for cancer patients and reduce toxic effects, but it will also make it easier and cheaper to introduce into the healthcare system than other advanced cancer treatments.

This new study, carried out by a multidisciplinary team of scientists, is led by Dr. Sergio Granados, co-director of the ibs.GRANADA Ae23-Translational and Integrative Oncology group, professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2. of the University of Granada and head of the Precision Oncology and Biomimetic Nanomedicine group at the GENYO Research Center.

The work was funded by the Carlos III Health Institute, the Spanish Association against Cancer (AECC), the Ministry of Economy, Knowledge, Business and the University of Andalusia Government, as well as the Doctores Galera y Requena Cancer Research Chair in Stem Cells from the University of Granada and the Association against Cancer of Rota ROLUCAN.

About the research group

This group is engaged in clinical, translational and integrative research in the field of oncology, with the primary goal of translating basic research advances into clinical applications that improve health.

His focus on translational medicine is to maximize the economic and medical benefits derived from basic research efforts. His main research areas are translational oncology and integrative oncology.

More information about the group: https://www.ibsgranada.es/grupos-de-investigacion/ae23-oncologia-traslacional-e-integrativa/

Bibliographic reference:

Blaya-Canovas JL, Griñán-Lison C, Blancas I, Marchal JA, Ramírez-Tortosa C, López-Tejada A, Benabdellah C, Cortijo-Gutierrez M, Cano-Cortés MV, Gravan P, Navarro-Marchal SA, Gomez-Morales J, Delgado-Almenta V, Calahorra J, Agudo-Lera M, Sagarzasu A, Rodriguez-González SJ, Gallart-Aragon T, Eich S, Sánchez-Martín RM, Granados-Principal S. Autologous patient-derived exhausted nano T cells exploit tumor immune evasion to deliver effective cancer therapy. Mol Cancer. 2024 May 9;23(1):83. doi:10.1186/s12943-024-01997-x.

Fountain: UGR