Modified Immunocyte with Exogenous TCR Chains for NK-T Cell Activation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current immunotherapy methods for enhancing innate immunity face challenges in effectively proliferating and activating natural killer T cells, which are essential for inducing a robust immune response, often resulting in inadequate cell proliferation and activation.

Innovation Solution

The development of modified immunocytes expressing an exogenous invariant T-cell receptor α chain and β chain, which form a dimer on the cell surface, specifically using human Vα24 and Vβ11 or mouse Vα14 and Vβ8.2/Vβ7/Vβ2 chains, to enhance Th1 cytokine production and cell proliferation upon CD1d ligand stimulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional methods are used to culture and proliferate natural killer T cells, then the cells can be expanded in number, but the cells fail to proliferate and activate as desired depending on the state of the lymphocytes collected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell proliferationVSAvoidactivation consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces exogenous invariant T-cell receptor chains (Vα24 and Vβ11 for human, Vα14 and Vβ8.2/Vβ7/Vβ2 for mouse) to modify the immunocyte's receptor parameters. This parameter change enables consistent recognition of CD1d ligands regardless of the original lymphocyte state, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The exogenous T-cell receptor chains act as intermediaries that bridge the immunocyte to the CD1d ligand. This intermediary mechanism ensures reliable activation through a standardized recognition pathway, overcoming the variability in natural lymphocyte states.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If the proportion of natural killer T cells in lymphocytes is low, then the innate immunity response is limited, but increasing the cell number through culture requires complex amplification processes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmunocyte numberVSAvoidculture process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The modified immunocytes are designed to self-activate upon encountering CD1d ligands in the body. The exogenous T-cell receptor chains enable the cells to autonomously recognize and respond to their target, eliminating the need for complex external culture and amplification processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If natural killer T cells are used for immunotherapy, then antigen-specific immunity is enhanced, but the therapy does not cover cases requiring innate immunity activation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmunity coverageVSAvoidimmune activation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The modified immunocytes possess dual functionality: they maintain antigen-specific recognition capabilities while simultaneously gaining the ability to recognize CD1d ligands and activate innate immunity. This multi-functionality allows the same cell type to address both antigen-specific and innate immunity requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3231864B1Modified immunocyte, method for producing modified immunocyte and utilization thereof
Publication Date: 2024.07.31 RIKEN CO LTD
  • EP3231864B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP3231864B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP3231864B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A modified immunocyte: (1) which expresses an exogenous unmodified T cell receptor α-chain and an exogenous T cell receptor β-chain on the cell surface thereof; or (2) which contains a polynucleotide encoding a T cell receptor α-chain and a polynucleotide encoding a T cell receptor β-chain. Thus, a new tool whereby immunity can be appropriately induced in vivo is provided.