Vanderbilt researchers are bolstering the fight against cancer with technology that enhances the effectiveness of T cells that attack tumors. The cutting-edge research was recently published in the journal Science Immunology.
Cancers co-opt both the immune and cardiovascular systems to fuel their own growth, researchers say. They do this in part by forming new blood vessels that provide essential nutrients to rapidly dividing cancer cells. T cells in the immune system also use blood vessels as conduits for finding and invading tumors. But vessels in tumors are often abnormal and put up barricades that impede the ability of T cells to locate and kill cancer cells.
However, using a nanotechnology invented in the Immunoengineering Lab at Vanderbilt, researchers discovered they could reverse—or normalize—the malformed tumor vasculature by activating the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, a component of the immune system that plays an important role in protecting against pathogen infection and the development of cancers.
John T. Wilson, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Vanderbilt and a corresponding author on the paper, said that the ability of the technology to reprogram the vasculature of tumors can help make T cells more effective at eradicating cancer cells.
“This allowed T cells to better infiltrate and destroy tumors in mouse models of kidney and breast cancer and enhanced the efficacy of immunotherapies that are currently being used in patients,” said Wilson, who is also Principal Investigator of the Immunoengineering Lab and a Chancellor Faculty Fellow.
In the publication, researchers also discuss testing their STING-activating nanoparticle (STAN) technology on tumors that had been surgically removed from patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Consistent with findings from their experiments with mice, they found that STANs “demonstrated superior immunostimulatory activity,” offering “initial evidence supporting the potential use of STANs as a strategy to coordinate antitumor innate immunity and vascular remodeling in human RCC.”
Such breakthroughs are needed. This year, nearly two million new cancer cases and more than 600,000 cancer deaths are projected to occur in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.
“While this technology isn’t yet ready for use in cancer patients, our study revealed an exciting new strategy for improving responses to cancer immunotherapy,” said Wilson.
News
Forgotten Medicinal Plant Shows Promise in Fighting Dangerous Superbugs
A traditional medicinal plant, tormentil, shows promise against antibiotic-resistant bacteria in laboratory tests. Its compounds work by limiting bacterial growth and boosting antibiotic performance. Before the development of modern antibiotics, plant-based remedies were commonly [...]
NanoMedical Brain/Cloud Interface – Explorations and Implications. A new book from Frank Boehm
New book from Frank Boehm, NanoappsMedical Inc Founder: This book explores the future hypothetical possibility that the cerebral cortex of the human brain might be seamlessly, safely, and securely connected with the Cloud via [...]
New Research Finds Shocking Link Between Chili Peppers and Cancer
If you love spicy food, you are not alone. But scientists are taking a closer look at whether eating a lot of chili peppers could affect your cancer risk. Could your love of spicy [...]
New book from Nanoappsmedical Inc. – Global Health Care Equivalency
A new book by Frank Boehm, NanoappsMedical Inc. Founder. This groundbreaking volume explores the vision of a Global Health Care Equivalency (GHCE) system powered by artificial intelligence and quantum computing technologies, operating on secure [...]
Scientists Create “Neurobots” – Living Machines With Their Own Nervous Systems
Neurobots—xenobots with neurons—show self-organized nervous systems and enhanced behaviors, revealing new insights into how biology builds functional structures. In 2020, researchers at Tufts University developed tiny living structures known as xenobots using frog cells. These microscopic organisms [...]
Our books now available worldwide!
Online Sellers other than Amazon, Routledge, and IOPP Indigo Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artifcial Intelligence Global Health Care Equivalency In The Age Of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine And Artificial [...]
Amazonian Chocolate Could Become the Next Superfood, Scientists Say
New research into Amazonian cocoa reveals that its value may extend beyond flavor alone. Chocolate from the Amazon is already known worldwide for its distinctive taste, but new research suggests it may offer even [...]
Nanobody repairs misfolded CFTR inside cells, boosting function in cystic fibrosis
A tiny antibody component could fundamentally transform the treatment of cystic fibrosis: For the first time, researchers have succeeded in developing a so-called nanobody that penetrates directly into human cells and can repair the [...]
20-Year Study Finds Daily Multivitamins Don’t Extend Lifespan
A large, decades-long study of over 390,000 U.S. adults challenges a widespread assumption about daily multivitamins. Multivitamins are a daily habit for millions of Americans, often taken with the expectation that they will extend [...]
Novel Investment Paradigms for Regenerative Healthcare Ecosystems
Introduction The transition toward regenerative healthcare ecosystems—anchored in wellness optimization, disease prevention, eradication strategies, and healthy longevity—necessitates a structural reconfiguration of capital architectures, governance models, and incentive design. Regenerative healthcare, by definition, transcends episodic [...]
What If Consciousness Exists Beyond Your Brain
Scientists still don’t know how consciousness emerges from the brain. New ideas suggest it may not emerge at all, but instead be a basic feature of reality. Is consciousness produced by the brain, or [...]
Scientists Discover Way To Treat Lung Cancer and Its Deadly Side Effect Together
A new approach using lipid nanoparticles to deliver genetic material is showing promise in tackling two major challenges in lung cancer at once.Researchers at Oregon State University have designed a new way to tackle two of [...]
Saunas Activate Your Immune System
A brief sauna session may quietly mobilize the immune system. A sauna session may do more than raise your heart rate and body temperature. A new study from Finland found that it also briefly [...]
Why music from your youth still has such an intense effect years later: A psychological perspective
You're driving, and suddenly a familiar song fills the air. Before you even know it, a wave of emotions comes over you – not just memories, but a deep, almost physical feeling. This powerful [...]
AI to antibody in days: breaking the wet lab bottleneck via high-throughput integration
The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in drug design has fundamentally shifted from a speculative tool to a central pillar of pharmaceutical research and development (R&D). Sino Biological plays a critical role in this [...]
Regenerative Healthcare by Design: Engineering Health-Centric Buildings and Urban Ecosystems
Introduction The next evolution of healthcare will not be confined to hospitals, clinics, or episodic interventions—it will be embedded into the infrastructure of everyday life. Regenerative health ecosystems require a systemic re-architecture of how [...]
