About Engineered T cells
A T-cell is a type of infection-fighting white cell in the blood. Its normal role is to kill virus infected cells and some cancer cells.
However the body doesn’t have enough T-cells to combat large cancerous tumours, and cancer cells often develop protective mechanisms to avoid them being recognised by the body as a disease.
T cells can be expanded outside the body and then returned to cancer patients.
This is known as "adoptive therapy".
Engineered T cells and therapeutic use
A greater understanding of how T cells work coupled with advances in gene therapy techniques have supported the idea of “engineered T cells” thereby facilitating the T cell attack against cancer.
The basic concept involves engineering T cells to possess a tumour targeting receptor on the outside surface of the cell.
The targeting molecule is based on an antibody which works like a tracker device so the T-cells can find and latch onto the cancer cells.
Engineered T cell therapy consists of taking T-cells from the blood of a patient, the patient’s T-cells are mixed with a virus which delivers a targeting molecule into them.
The T cells are then multiplied in the laboratory and injected in large numbers back into the patient and cause tumour regression.
The ATTACK Project is aiming to develop research on engineered T cells to support future clinical trials proposals.
Gene Therapy
Link to the UK Gene Therapy Advisory Committee (GTAC): http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/genetics/gtac/
GTAC Public Meeting "Demystifying Gene Therapy": http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/genetics/gtac/delegatepack3.pdf