NK Cell Expansion Using Irradiated Feeder Cells
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for expanding natural killer cells from peripheral blood are hindered by the need for expensive equipment and costly cytokines, limiting accessibility and practicality for cancer treatment.
Innovation Solution
A method involving co-culture of irradiated Jurkat cells and EBV-LCL cells with peripheral blood mononuclear cells in defined cytokine proportions and concentrations to induce and expand NK cells, bypassing the requirement for expensive resources and sophisticated equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional methods using MACS, FACS, or cytokine cocktails are used to expand NK cells, then NK cell expansion is achieved, but the cost and equipment complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses irradiated feeder cells (RPMI-8866 or HFWT cell lines) that can be easily prepared and maintained in vitro, replacing expensive and complex equipment like MACS and FACS machines. These feeder cells provide a simple, cost-effective system for NK cell expansion without requiring sophisticated instrumentation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces feeder cells as an intermediary system that mediates NK cell expansion. The feeder cells create a supportive microenvironment that naturally promotes NK cell proliferation and activation, eliminating the need for complex separation equipment and high-cost cytokine cocktails
2Quantity of substance
If conventional methods using genetically engineered feeder cells and high-concentration cytokines are used, then NK cell expansion is achieved, but the cost increases prohibitively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration and composition of cytokines used in the culture system. By adjusting cytokine parameters to appropriate levels rather than using high-concentration cocktails, the method achieves effective NK cell expansion at lower costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feeder cell lines (RPMI-8866 or HFWT) that are inexpensive to maintain and can be easily prepared in vitro. These cells replace expensive genetically engineered feeder systems and reduce overall resource costs while providing effective NK cell expansion
3Manufacturing precision
If NK cells are separated from mononuclear cells at early stages using sophisticated equipment, then NK cell purity is improved, but the process complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feeder cells as an intermediary that selectively supports NK cell growth while other cells are suppressed or die off during the culture period. This natural selection process achieves NK cell enrichment without requiring complex separation equipment like MACS or FACS
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary irradiation of feeder cells before co-culture to prevent their proliferation while maintaining their ability to support NK cell growth. This pre-preparation simplifies the overall process by eliminating the need for complex cell separation and purification steps during the expansion phase
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for inducing and expanding natural killer cells derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which comprises co-culturing, as feeder cells, irradiated Jurkat cells and irradiated Epstein-Barr virus transformed lymphocyte continuous line (EBV-LCL) cells in the presence of cytokines, along with peripheral blood mononuclear cells. According to the present invention, a large quantity of natural killer cells can be induced and proliferated from a small quantity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells even without the use of high-cost equipment or various kinds of expensive cytokines, thereby making it possible to significantly improve the efficiency and efficacy of the prevention and treatment of cancer using the natural killer cells.