In a new study, researchers at McMaster University in Canada and the University of Toronto in Canada have developed a promising immunotherapy that can be used to treat the deadly form of adult brain cancer or glioblastoma. (Glioblastoma). In this immunotherapy called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell (CAR-T) therapy, T cells are genetically modified from the patient’s blood in the laboratory to directly target and interact with glioblasts. Tumor combined. I will be able to do it. A special protein on the surface of tumor cells is called CD133, which can destroy these cancer cells. When used in mice with human glioblastoma, CAR-T cell therapy targeting CD133 appears to be successful because it reduces the tumor burden in these mice and increases them.
The data from this study prompted Hamilton, Canada to establish a brain cancer immunotherapy company called Empirica Therapeutics. The company's goal is to conduct clinical trials of CD133-specific CAR-T cell therapy and other therapies for patients with recurrent glioblastoma by 2022.
The lead author of the paper, former member of the Sheila Singh Institute at McMaster University and former director of clinical development at Empirica Therapeutics, Parvez Vora, said that glioblastoma has a poor prognosis.
He said: After the initial diagnosis, patients with glioblastoma received active treatment, such as surgical removal of the tumor, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, etc. However, the cancer recurs within 7 months and can survive overall. The median duration of disease is less than 15 months. Almost all glioblastomas appear as more aggressive recurrent tumors. There is currently no standard treatment to cure this recurrent tumor. The research was co-led by the Shin Institute at McMaster University and the Jason Moffat Institute at the Donnelly Center for Cell and Biomolecular Research at the University of Toronto. Singer’s laboratory has been studying the role of CD133 protein in brain tumors for more than a decade. The laboratory found that this protein is a marker of cancer stem cells and has the properties needed to grow into a difficult-to-treat glioblastoma. In this new study, these researchers used state-of-the-art immunotherapeutics to specifically target CD133+ glioblastoma, eradicating the most aggressive cell subset in the tumor. I investigated whether it can be done. They also studied the safety of CD133 targeted therapy on normal non-tumor human stem cells (including hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells). The researchers devised three treatments and tested them in the laboratory and in mice. The first treatment is a new type of human synthetic IgG antibody, which only needs to bind to the CD133 protein on the surface of glioblastoma cells to prevent the growth of the tumor. The second is the dual antigen Tcellengagerantibody, which uses the patient’s own T cells to eliminate CD133+ glioblastoma. The third is CAR-T cell therapy.
Vora said: "Compared with the other two treatments, CAR-T cell therapy is more active in preclinical human glioblastoma models. At the same time, it is also carried out in humanized mouse models. Safety studies have been resolved. In view of its potential impact on hematopoiesis, which is an important process leading to the formation of different blood cells in the human body, CD133-specific CAR-T cell therapy is equipped with an artificial hematopoietic system. It did not cause acute systemic toxicity in a mouse model.
Ashida Williams is a graduate student in Moffat's laboratory. He produced CD133 antibodies. Some of these antibodies are immune to multiple immunities, including CAR-T cells.
Moffat said: "The latest advances in immunotherapy bring hope to cancer patients who have not been treated before. Neurology using CAR-T cell therapy. We hope that we can specifically target glioblastoma cells. Improve lives. Quality can increase the chance of survival."
Christine, Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Biomedicine at McMaster University, Hope was praised for his work in establishing a humane toxicity test model. These researchers are currently exploring a combined strategy that combines CD133-specific CAR-T cells to completely prevent glioblastoma recurrence. Researchers have pointed out that this type of treatment may be effective for other refractory cancer patients with CD133 tumor-initiating cell populations.
Singh said: "Our research provides many new conceptual insights into the benefits of targeting the CD133+ tumor stem cell population of aggressive glioblastoma. Our research has helped these patients. We hope to adopt one. A truly new approach. Development of promising and promising treatment options.