Reprogrammed NK immune cells target cancer and autoimmune disorders

MIT researchers have devised a method to reprogram natural killer (NK) immune cells to target cancerous or autoimmune T cells, without the need to extract them from a patient's body. They utilize lipid nanoparticles to deliver messenger RNA inside NK cells, providing instructions to seek and destroy dysfunctional T cells. This novel approach, called CAR NK cells, could bypass manufacturing challenges associated with traditional CAR NK cells.

Daniel Anderson, a professor at MIT's Department of Chemical Engineering, explains that these nanoparticles could be administered to patients as an infusion, simplifying the process and reducing costs. The team developed LNPs that can deliver mRNA encoding CAR proteins targeted to specific cell types, such as CD19 or CD3. When these particles were infused into mice, they reprogrammed around 80% of the targeted NK cells.

In mouse models of aggressive melanoma and humanized mice with T cell lymphoma, tumors were eradicated following multiple nanoparticle injections. Additionally, the LNPs successfully generated CAR NK cells targeting autoreactive T cells in mice with autoimmune hepatitis, leading to the healing of liver damage. This breakthrough highlights the potential of nano delivery systems for treating cancer and other diseases caused by dysfunctional T cells, such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.