From one stem cell to 14 million tumor-killing cells

 


One stem cell generates 14 million tumor-killing natural killer (NK) cells in major cancer breakthrough.

Scientists in China have unveiled a breakthrough way to mass-produce powerful cancer-fighting immune cells in the lab. By engineering early-stage stem cells from cord blood—rather than trying to modify mature natural killer (NK) cells—they created a streamlined process that generates enormous numbers of highly potent NK cells, including CAR-equipped versions designed to hunt specific cancers.

NK cells play a critical role in the body’s early defense against viruses and cancer, along with other immune functions. Because of their natural ability to detect and destroy abnormal cells, they are an attractive tool for cancer treatment. In chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-NK therapy, scientists equip NK cells with a lab-designed receptor (a CAR) so they can recognize a specific marker on cancer cells and attack them more precisely.

Traditional CAR-NK approaches usually depend on mature NK cells collected from sources such as peripheral blood or cord blood. This method presents several obstacles, including wide variability between cells, limited efficiency during genetic modification, high production costs, and lengthy preparation times.

Stem cell-derived NK cells from cord blood

The team developed a different approach whereby, instead of modifying mature NK cells, the researchers started with CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) taken from cord blood. From these early-stage cells, they generated induced NK (iNK) cells as well as CAR-engineered iNK (CAR-iNK) cells.

Earlier efforts to produce NK cells from cord blood-derived CD34+ HSPCs struggled with low efficiency and immature cell function. To address these limitations, the team moved the genetic engineering step earlier in development, working directly at the CD34+ HSPC stage. This strategy combined CAR transduction, strong expansion of progenitor cells, and guided commitment to the NK lineage.

Three-step expansion and differentiation process

The researchers used a three-stage system. First, they expanded CD34+ HSPCs (or CD19 CAR-transduced HSPCs) with the help of irradiated AFT024 feeder cells. Within 14 days, the cells multiplied roughly 800- to 1,000-fold.

Next, the expanded cells were cultured with OP9 feeder cells to create artificial hematopoietic organoid aggregates, structures that support efficient NK lineage commitment and development.

In the final stage, cells that had committed to becoming NK cells were allowed to mature and multiply further. This process produced highly pure iNK or CAR-iNK cells that expressed endogenous CD16.


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#StemCells #CancerTherapy #Immunotherapy #CellExpansion #TumorKilling #Biotechnology #MedicalResearch #CellTherapy #Oncology #RegenerativeMedicine #TCells #CAR_T #CancerResearch

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