Conditioned Stem Cell Medium for Apoptosis Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cancer treatments face challenges in delivering therapeutic molecules effectively to cancer cells due to insufficient delivery, with concerns about the tumorigenicity of bone marrow-derived stem cells like MSCs after long-term in vitro culture, and the need for improved anti-cancer treatment strategies.
Innovation Solution
The use of OmniCytes, a type of stem cell, to secrete an apoptosis-modulating factor that enhances the pro-apoptotic effects of drugs like staurosporine, cisplatin, or paclitaxel, which is collected in a conditioned extracellular medium and used to potentiate the effect of pro-apoptotic agents on cancer cells, while also protecting non-cancerous cells from drug-induced apoptosis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are used as cellular vectors for delivering therapeutic agents to tumours, then the delivery capability to cancer cells is improved, but the tumorigenicity risk increases due to spontaneous transformation after long-term in vitro culture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the beneficial secretome components from OmniCytes, separating the therapeutic factors (exosomes, cytokines, growth factors) from the cellular component that poses tumorigenicity risk. This allows utilization of the therapeutic delivery capability while eliminating the harmful transformation potential of the stem cells themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the secretome and exosomes as intermediary carriers that mediate the therapeutic effect without requiring the presence of live stem cells. These secreted components act as intermediaries that can deliver therapeutic agents and modulate the tumor microenvironment without the tumorigenicity concerns associated with long-term cultured MSCs.
2Productivity
If higher doses of pro-apoptotic chemotherapeutic agents are used to improve cancer treatment efficacy, then the anti-cancer effect is enhanced, but the side effects on non-cancerous cells increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a localized protective microenvironment around cancer cells through the secretome components, which selectively modulate the tumor niche. The exosomes and secreted factors concentrate therapeutic effects locally at the tumor site while creating a protective zone that spares surrounding healthy tissues from systemic chemotherapy toxicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of chemotherapy on healthy cells into a beneficial selective pressure by using the secretome to protect healthy tissues. The secreted factors create a differential response where cancer cells remain vulnerable to chemotherapy while healthy cells are protected, effectively converting the non-selective toxicity of chemotherapy into a more selective treatment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apoptosis-modulating factor secreted by OmniCytes potentiates the effect of pro-apoptotic agents on cancer cells, potentially increasing treatment efficacy while reducing side effects on healthy cells, thereby improving cancer treatment outcomes and allowing higher doses of chemotherapy.
Implementation Method 1
a factor capable of modulating apoptosis, which factor is secreted by a stem cell
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides an apoptosis-modulating cell-free composition comprising conditioned extracellular medium of a stem cell and uses thereof, particularly therapeutic uses. Also provided is a method of obtaining such a composition and an in vitro method of modulating apoptosis.