Immune Suppressor Cell Modification for Tumor Targeting

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Solution Overview

Problem

The immune suppressive tumor microenvironment prevents effective cancer suppression by the host immune system and reduces the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy, as immune suppressive cells such as regulatory T-cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells inhibit anti-tumor immune responses.

Innovation Solution

Modifying immune suppressor cells to include an innate immune effector like TRAIL, which can be genetically introduced into regulatory T-cells or myeloid-derived suppressor cells, to enhance their ability to induce cell death in tumor cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If immune suppressor cells are used to traffic to tumors, then tumor targeting is achieved, but anti-tumor immune response is suppressed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetumor targetingVSAvoidimmune suppression

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent exploits the natural homing ability of immune suppressor cells to tumors and converts their harmful suppressive function into a beneficial therapeutic effect by genetically modifying them to express TRAIL, an apoptosis-inducing protein that kills tumor cells directly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of trying to eliminate or block immune suppressor cells from tumors, the invention inverts the approach by arming these cells with cytotoxic capabilities, turning them from enemies into allies that actively destroy tumor cells while maintaining their tumor-targeting advantage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If general immune system stimulation is administered, then immune response is enhanced, but tumor microenvironment suppression persists

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimmune responseVSAvoidtumor microenvironment suppression

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by delivering the TRAIL immune effector specifically to the tumor microenvironment through the targeted trafficking of modified immune suppressor cells, rather than systemic administration, thereby enhancing anti-tumor activity locally while minimizing effects on the broader immune system and avoiding general suppression

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The modified immune suppressor cells serve as intermediaries that carry the TRAIL effector to the tumor microenvironment, mediating the delivery of cytotoxic activity precisely where needed and overcoming the barrier of tumor-induced immune suppression

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This approach improves anti-tumor immunity and boosts the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy by arming immune suppressor cells with TRAIL, allowing them to effectively target and eliminate cancer cells.

Implementation Method 1

The innate immune effector is expected to enhance cell death of tumor cells

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectApoptosis induction:

Implementation Method 2

the immune suppressor cell has been transformed to include a nucleotide sequence having 95% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2 that is operably linked to a promoter

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGenetic transformation:

Data Source

PatentUS20250049918A1Targeting the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment

Publication Date: 2025.02.13 BROWN UNIVERSITY

AI summary

An immune suppressor cell modified to include an innate immune effector is described. Methods of using the modified immune suppressor cell to treat cancer are also described.