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World first as scientists create cancer-killing cells that can be injected …

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Published on January 3, 2013, in General Cancer News.

  • The cells naturally occur in the body in small
    numbers
  • But it’s hoped injecting huge quantities back into a patient
    could turbo-charge the immune system
  • Japanese researchers say the development paves the way for the new cancer and HIV treatments 

By
Daily Mail Reporter


PUBLISHED:

12:18 EST, 3 January 2013


|

UPDATED:

14:13 EST, 3 January 2013

Scientists have created cells capable of killing cancer for the first time.

The dramatic breakthrough was made by researchers in Japan who created cancer-specific killer T cells.

They say the development paves the way for the cells being directly injected into cancer patients for therapy.

Scientists have created cells capable of killing cancer for the first time. Pictured: microscopic cells being cultured to kill cancer

Scientists have created cells capable of killing cancer for the first time. Pictured: microscopic cells being cultured to kill cancer

The cells naturally occur in small numbers, but it is hoped injecting huge quantities back into a patient could turbo-charge the immune system.

Researchers at the RIKEN Research Centre for Allergy and Immunology revealed they have succeeded for the first time in creating cancer-specific, immune system cells called killer T lymphocytes.

To create these, the team first had to reprogramme T lymphocytes specialised in killing a certain type of cancer, into another type of cell called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). 

These iPS cells then generated fully active, cancer-specific T lymphocytes.

These lymphocytes regenerated from iPS cells could potentially serve as cancer therapy in the future.

Previous research has shown that killer T lymphocytes produced in the lab using conventional methods are inefficient in killing cancer cells mainly because they have a very short life-span, which limits their use as treatment for cancer.

To overcome the problems, the Japanese researchers, led by Hiroshi Kawamoto reprogrammed mature human killer T lymphocytes into iPS cells and investigated how these cells differentiate.

The team induced killer T lymphocytes
specific for a certain type of skin cancer to reprogramme into iPS cells
by exposing the lymphocytes to the ‘Yamanaka factors’ – a group of
compounds that induce cells to revert back to a non-specialised, stage.

Japanese researchers who created cancer-specific killer T cells (pictured) say the development paves the way for the cells being directly injected into cancer patients for therapy

Japanese researchers who created cancer-specific killer T cells (pictured) say the development paves the way for the cells being directly injected into cancer patients for therapy

The iPS cells obtained were then grown in the lab and induced to differentiate into killer T lymphocytes again. This new batch of T lymphocytes was shown to be specific for the same type of skin cancer as the original lymphocytes.

They maintained the genetic reorganisation, enabling them to express the cancer-specific receptor on their surface. The new T lymphocytes were also shown to be active and to produce an anti-tumour compound.

Doctor Kawamoto said: ‘We have succeeded in the expansion of antigen-specific T cells by making iPS cells and differentiating them back into functional T cells. 

‘The next step will be to test whether these T cells can selectively kill tumour cells but not other cells in the body. If they do, these cells might be directly injected into patients for therapy. This could be realised in the not-so-distant future.’

The findings were published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

Dr Dusko Ilic, Senior Lecturer in Stem Cell Science, King’s College London, said: ‘The study tackled a novel, quite interesting approach to cell based therapy, something that we do not usually hear about.

‘Although this approach requires further verification and a lot of work needs to be done before we can think about clinical trials, the initial data are promising.

‘This pioneering work definitely provides a strong foundation to build and expand our knowledge about new opportunities in cell based therapy and personalised medicine.’
 
 

The comments below have not been moderated.



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Yes its clever they have achieved this, but my body can program its own lymphocytes cells subconsciously. Plus it can increase production just by increasing my Vitamin D intake or getting more sunshine which would makes for a better experience and a cheaper method of prevention.

Question
,

SouthEast,
03/1/2013 20:50

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Very encouraging, as my daughter, a young wife and mother, starts her first of 4 aggressive rounds of chemo Monday, which will be followed by stem cell transplant . She has refractory Hodgkins. Science is always working on something that will cure cancer once and for all. No one should have to go through or watch a loved one go through with this hideous disease.

Poppy
,

Manasquan NJ,
03/1/2013 20:40

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I Am Legend!

Ephesians_6_12
,

New Jerusalem,
03/1/2013 20:36

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But if we cure cancer, where will all the money the pharmaceutical companies make off drug treatment go?

crasybebe
,

atlanta,
03/1/2013 20:33

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This breakthrough will be rubbished or swept under the carpet by the big pharmaceuticals, just like DCA (dichloroacetate). Cancer is a money spinner for them and they have no desire to see it cured.

UKIP for UK
,

Southampton, United Kingdom,
03/1/2013 20:31

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Wow that’s incredible. The sooner this awful disease can be beaten the better!!!

LadyYorkSimpson
,

York,
03/1/2013 20:24

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This is the kind of story that should be at the top of your webpage, DM. Not the endless Gwyneth Paltrow or worse, Kardashian self serving rubbish.

Sir Biggles
,

New York, United States,
03/1/2013 20:14

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Even if this article is 100% accurate (which I suspect it isn’t), cancer is too convenient a disease for this treatment to ever see the light of day.

Kay
,

London,
03/1/2013 20:08

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AWESOME!!! now this DESERVES to be top story.

marigold
,

richmond,
03/1/2013 19:58

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I notice that they comment this would be very beneficial when conventional treatments fail; why would anyone run for a treatment that potentially begins to kill you the minute you start it, rather than try a treatment that potentially could save your life to begin with? Everyone chooses the poison first, then when it and the cancer is nearly killing you, in the eleventh hour, run towards non invasive treatments known to work? Let’s stop drinking the koolaid from the health industry and get healthy. We have to remember we are not first, money is first. I see this everyday, and it pains me to try to help people at the eleventh hour, if only they would not believe the propaganda but believe in what works and will not harm them; we can only hope and pray.

jesichashope
,

Litchfield, United States,
03/1/2013 19:51

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