Cytokine-Based NK Cell Activity Measurement for Cancer Screening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cancer diagnosis methods, such as CT, MRI, and blood tumor markers, are limited in their ability to detect various types of cancer and often overlook cancer presence due to their invasive nature or reliance on specific organ factors, while conventional NK cell activity assays are cumbersome and costly.
Innovation Solution
A method and kit for measuring NK cell activity by stimulating NK cells in a blood sample with cytokines like IL-2, IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18, and quantifying NK cell-secreting cytokines like IFN-γ, TNF-α, and MIP-1β, using fusion proteins with stabilizing peptides to enhance stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional NK cell activity assays are used to measure cancer risk, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex conventional NK cell activity assays with a simplified cytokine measurement approach. Instead of using elaborate functional assays to directly measure NK cell activity, the invention measures cytokine levels (such as IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-12, IL-15, IL-18) in the blood sample, which serve as reliable indicators of NK cell function. This substitution dramatically reduces assay complexity and cost while maintaining measurement precision for cancer risk assessment.
2Ease of operation
If blood tumor markers are used for cancer diagnosis, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to false positives from etiological factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent shifts the diagnostic parameter from traditional blood tumor markers to NK cell-related cytokine levels. By measuring cytokines such as IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2 that are specifically associated with NK cell activity, the invention maintains the ease of blood sampling while significantly improving diagnostic reliability. The cytokine profile provides a more specific indicator of cancer risk that is not confounded by etiological factors affecting conventional tumor markers.
3Measurement precision
If CT, MRI or X-ray imaging is used for cancer detection, then measurement precision is improved for certain tissues, but ease of operation deteriorates due to invasive procedures and limited tissue coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a universal blood-based diagnostic method that can screen for multiple types of cancer across different tissues simultaneously. By measuring NK cell activity through cytokine levels in a single blood sample, the invention provides a multi-functional screening tool that covers various cancer types without requiring multiple organ-specific imaging procedures. This approach makes cancer detection more accessible and easier to perform while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
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
Enables simple, cost-effective primary screening for cancer incidence or relapse by measuring reduced NK cell activity through cytokine levels, complemented by additional diagnostic methods for definitive cancer diagnosis.
Implementation Method 1
stimulating NK cells in a blood sample thereby artificially activating the NK cells to generate NK cell-secreting cytokines
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a method for diagnosing cancer, a diagnosis kit and compositions useful for measurement of NK cell activity. The incidence of cancer may be diagnosed by monitoring changes in the in vivo immune system through measurement of NK cell activity in blood. Thus, the incidence of cancer may be readily predicted as described herein using a blood sample from a subject.