Two research teams have discovered a promising strategy to rejuvenate bioengineered immune cells used in cancer treatment: transforming them into a more stem cell-like state. By increasing the levels of a specific protein in CAR T cells, these cells regain vigor and exhibit gene activity similar to stem cells, enhancing their ability to combat cancer. Published in Nature, these findings offer a new avenue for engineering therapeutic T cells and addressing challenges in maintaining their activity over extended periods. This breakthrough could significantly improve cancer treatment outcomes, particularly for solid tumors, which have been more resistant to CAR T cell therapy.
Keywords: bioengineered immune cells, cancer treatment, CAR-T, stem cells