Using lasers, hydrogels and sustained release neurotropic growth factors, researchers in Switzerland have developed a sophisticated nerve conduit system to repair non-union nerve damage.
Cells communicate by their secretions, impacting the behaviour of other cells. Cell secretion therapies use living cells to produce and secrete therapeutic substances that can aid in treating diseases. These include extracellular vesicles (EVs), cytokines, chemokines and hormones. Such therapies are at the forefront of regenerative medicine and immunotherapy.
A deadly arms race takes place between cancer cells and our immune system. A recent study published in Nature shows the importance of monocytes in the development of a healthy anti-cancer immune response, how cancer blocks monocyte activity and how this can be restored.
Tumours evade immune surveillance through mechanisms that impair immune responses, allowing the tumour to grow and spread without being eliminated by the immune system. Understanding the interplay between cancer and immune cells is allowing the development of new therapies.
Despite its promise and success in treating otherwise resistant blood cancers, CAR-T therapy comes with a hefty price tag, often exceeding hundreds of thousands of dollars per patient. Understanding why CAR-T therapy is so expensive requires a closer look at the complex processes and factors involved in its development and administration.
Immune cell reprogramming is widely used to enhance immune cell function for disease treatment. This approach is successful for some types of immune cell, such as T-cells, but reprogramming of monocytes, macrophages and other phagocytic cells has historically been difficult. At Cell Guidance Systems, we have simplified the engineering of monocytes and other mononuclear phagocytes by using PODS, sub-micron scale sustained-release protein crystals that durably alter the cell's proteome. This simple technique is opening new research avenues and has the potential to enable cost-effective autologous immune cell therapies to treat a range of diseases.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating illness that 5-17% of us will experience during our lifetime. Identifying underlying biological mechanisms in MDD could increase our understanding of this disorder; allowing early-stage diagnosis and the development of new treatments. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), nano-sized, lipid-bound derivatives of cells that contain a plethora of cargo, such as miRNAs, lipids, and other proteins, offer a new avenue in this research.
In our immune system's fight against cancer, autologous immune cell therapy using CAR-T cells has transformed treatment options for patients with leukaemia and lymphoma but is not effective against solid tumors. Could monocytes and their derivatives, notably macrophages, succeed where CAR-T cells have failed? Here we look at the way cancers try to exert dominance over macrophages and the companies rising to the challenge of autologous macrophage therapy.
When we think about the building blocks of life, our minds often jump to cells, DNA, and proteins. However, lurking in the spaces between cells is an equally crucial component that often goes unnoticed: the extracellular matrix (ECM). This unsung hero plays a pivotal role in maintaining the structure and function of tissues, influencing everything from wound healing to cancer progression.
Calorie restriction (CR) has long been recognized to increase both health span (the duration of a healthy life) and lifespan, but is difficult to adhere to. Recently published papers indicate that a dietary supplement (also produced by some gut microbes) can achieve the same effect.
