CANCER THERAPY WITH STEM CELLS

We develop and introduce new methods of cell therapy of oncological diseases into the clinic.

Natural killer cells (NK cells) in cancer therapy

Natural killer cells (NK cells) are large granular lymphocytes with cytotoxicity against tumor cells and cells infected with viruses. Currently, NK cells are considered as a separate class of lymphocytes. Nk perform cytotoxic and cytokine-producing functions. Nk is one of the most important components of cellular innate immunity. These cells were called natural killer cells because, according to early ideas, they did not require activation to kill cells that did not carry major histocompatibility complex markers. A decrease in the amount of MHC1 on the cell surface may be due to the transformation of the cell into a cancer cell or the action of viruses such as papillomavirus and HIV. Cell therapy in oncology is carried out with targeted anti-cancer killer cells (activated natural killer cells and T cells). Cancer immunotherapy is carried out using monoclonal, polyclonal or bispecific antibodies.
Natural killer (NK) cells produce Th1 cytokines with antitumor activity when stimulated by dendritic cells bearing alpha-galactosylceramide, an analogue of the NK-activating glycolipid antigen. However, in most patients with tumors, there is not enough NA for an effective immune response, which makes it necessary to search for a source of NA that could replenish the insufficient population of endogenous cells. Induced stem cells have become such a source. We are currently using this technology to treat some cancers.