Immune Cell Trapping Device Using Antigen-Coated Scaffold
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing and treating autoimmune disorders and cancers face challenges due to the rarity and low frequency of specific immune cells, making it difficult to isolate and analyze these cells effectively for diagnosis and therapy.
Innovation Solution
Development of a cell trapping device with a physiologically-compatible porous polymer scaffold coated with antigens and recruiting agents that selectively attract and capture immune cells, allowing for their analysis and potential therapeutic use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional laboratory tests are used to diagnose autoimmune diseases, then comprehensive analysis can be performed, but the process becomes cumbersome and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates specific immune cells (T cells, B cells, dendritic cells) from complex blood samples using magnetic beads and flow cytometry, separating them from other blood components. This extraction allows focused analysis of rare immune cells without requiring comprehensive testing of all blood parameters, thereby reducing test complexity while maintaining diagnostic accuracy for autoimmune disease detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces magnetic beads as intermediary carriers coated with antibodies that specifically bind to surface markers on immune cells. These beads act as mediators between the detection system and target cells, enabling indirect identification and isolation of specific cell types through magnetic field application, which simplifies the overall diagnostic process while maintaining precision.
2Measurement precision
If immune cells are isolated from blood for analysis, then specific cell populations can be studied, but the cells cannot be frozen or cultured without affecting their functional capacities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary activation of immune cells in vivo before isolation, where cells are stimulated by antigens or cytokines in the bloodstream to enter an activated state. This preliminary action ensures that cells maintain their functional capacities during isolation and analysis, as the activation state is established before the cells are retrieved, avoiding the need for post-isolation culture or freezing that would compromise functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables immune cells to serve their own functional purposes by isolating them in an activated state that preserves their inherent capabilities. The isolated cells can be directly used for diagnostic analysis or therapeutic applications without requiring external culture media or freezing procedures, as their functional state is maintained through the isolation process itself, eliminating the need for separate maintenance systems.
3Reliability
If tumor infiltrating leukocytes are extracted and expanded ex vivo, then therapeutic efficacy can be improved, but the cells are extracted from low frequency populations with limited functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary in vivo activation of tumor infiltrating leukocytes before ex vivo expansion, where cells are stimulated by tumor antigens or cytokines in the patient's bloodstream or tumor microenvironment. This preliminary action primes the cells to enter an activated state that enhances their proliferative capacity and functional response during subsequent ex vivo expansion, thereby improving therapeutic efficacy while starting from low frequency populations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the form of cytokine stimulation and antigen exposure to transform the functional characteristics of tumor infiltrating leukocytes. By changing the biochemical environment through cytokine addition or antigen presentation, the cells transition from a low-frequency, limited-functionality state to a high-functionality, expandable state, enabling effective therapeutic dosing from rare cell populations.
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 device enables efficient isolation and analysis of rare immune cells, facilitating improved diagnosis and therapy for autoimmune disorders and cancers by attracting and trapping specific immune cells, which can be reprogrammed or expanded for therapeutic applications.
Implementation Method 1
a scaffold composition which incorporates or is coated with a plurality of antigens and, optionally, recruiting agents, allowing the device to attract, adhere to, and capture or sequester targeted cells
Implementation Method 2
the scaffold composition is differentially permeable, allowing cell passage only in certain physical areas of the scaffold
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein described provide devices for identifying and collecting rare cells or cells which occur at low frequency in the body of a subject, such as, antigen-specific cells or disease-specific cells. More specifically, the devices are useful for trapping immune cells and the devices contain a physiologically-compatible porous polymer scaffold, a plurality of antigens, and an immune cell-recruiting agent, wherein the plurality of antigens and the immune cell recruiting agent attract and trap the immune cell in the device. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, kits, and packages containing such devices. Additional embodiments relate to methods for making the devices, compositions, and kits/packages. Further embodiments relate to methods for using the devices, compositions, and/or kits in the diagnosis or therapy of diseases such as autoimmune diseases or cancers.