Modulating Retinoid Pathways to Boost Memory T Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current immunotherapy methods, such as those using WT1 peptide vaccines, often have limited efficacy due to variations in patient immunity status, immune suppression, and differentiation stage of immune cells, necessitating a method to enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy.
Innovation Solution
Modulating the retinoid metabolic pathway or retinoic acid signaling system to increase the proportion of memory T cells in a T cell population, either by inhibiting or enhancing specific enzymes or receptors involved in these pathways, thereby enhancing immune responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional immunotherapy methods (e.g., WT1 peptide vaccines) are used, then the treatment can be administered to patients, but the efficacy is limited due to variations in patient immunity status, immune suppression, and differentiation stage of immune cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the functional state of T cells by modulating the retinoid metabolic pathway and retinoic acid signaling system. Specifically, it adjusts the differentiation stage of T cells to increase the proportion of memory T cells, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficacy of immunotherapy across different patient immunity statuses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-modulating the T cell population in vitro before administration to patients. The retinoid metabolic pathway is inhibited and retinoic acid signaling is enhanced beforehand to generate a T cell population with increased memory T cells, ensuring enhanced efficacy when administered regardless of patient immunity status variations.
2Reliability
If the T cell population is modified to increase memory T cells proportion, then immune response is enhanced, but the complexity of the treatment protocol increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses small molecule compounds as intermediaries to modulate the retinoid metabolic pathway and retinoic acid signaling system. These compounds (inhibitors of retinoid metabolism and modulators of retinoic acid signaling) serve as mediators to achieve T cell differentiation modulation without requiring complex genetic engineering or cellular manipulation procedures.
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 method increases the proportion of memory T cells, leading to enhanced immune responses and improved efficacy of immunotherapy, particularly in cancer and infection treatments, by promoting strong immunity and increasing the therapeutic effect of immunotherapy.
Implementation Method 1
the inhibitor inhibits conversion of retinol to retinal, conversion of retinal to retinoic acid, conversion of β-carotene to retinal, conversion of β-carotene to β-apocarotenal, or conversion of β-apocarotenal to retinal and retinoic acid
Implementation Method 2
modulator of a retinoic acid signaling system
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method for increasing the proportion of memory T cells in a T cell population, said method comprising a step of adding a modulator for the retinoid metabolic pathway and/or a modulator for the retinoic acid signaling system to the T cell population.