Adoptive cellular immunotherapies refer to a group of therapeutic approaches that utilize cells of the immune system to treat diseases, particularly cancers and certain infections. This innovative treatment strategy involves collecting, manipulating, and reinfusing immune cells into a patient's body to enhance their immune response against the disease.
The process of adoptive cellular immunotherapy typically begins with the collection of immune cells, often T cells, from the patient or a donor. These collected cells are then isolated and subjected to various laboratory procedures, such as genetic engineering or expansion, to enhance their effectiveness in targeting and killing disease cells. The modified or expanded T cells are then reintroduced into the patient's body through infusion.
Once administered, the adoptive cellular immunotherapies aim to bolster the patient's immune system by equipping it with a specialized army of cells capable of specifically recognizing and attacking the diseased cells. These therapies can work through several mechanisms, including direct cell killing, cytokine release, and activation of other components of the immune system.
Prominent examples of adoptive cellular immunotherapies include chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy. CAR T-cell therapy involves genetically engineering T cells to express receptors that specifically recognize tumor antigens, enabling targeted destruction of cancer cells. On the other hand, TIL therapy relies on isolating immune cells that have already infiltrated the tumor, expanding them in the laboratory, and reinfusing them back into the patient to fight against the cancer.
Adoptive cellular immunotherapies represent a promising field of research and have shown significant success in treating certain types of cancers that were previously considered incurable. However, further research and clinical trials are still necessary to improve safety, efficacy, and accessibility
