Immune Cell Therapy

T Cells

T cells are the effector cells of the adaptive immune system. As a functionally heterogeneous cell type, T cells can be further divided into various subsets. Two of the major functional groups are CD4+ helper T cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. CD4+ T cells play an essential role in mediating immune responses, including the secretion of cytokines to regulate the immune system, help B cells produce antibodies, and activate other immune cells. CD8+ T cells can directly recognize and kill virus-infected cells or cancer cells.

Fig. 1. Therapeutic strategies in overcoming the T-cell exclusion by leveraging the cytokine signals (Zhang Y, Guan XY, et al., 2020).

CAR-T cell therapy is one of the most broadly applied T cell therapies. It is characterized by genetic engineering of a patient's T cells to express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) ex vivo, followed by the re-infusion of the engineered T cells into the patient for the modified T cells to recognize and kill cancer cells specifically. In addition, T cells can also be applied to treat autoimmune diseases and transplant rejection by therapeutically altering the proportion or function of specific T cell subsets to achieve clinical benefits.

GMP-grade Cytokines for T Cells

Natural Killer Cells

Natural Killer (NK) cells are an innate lymphocyte type with an innate cytotoxicity, which can recognize and kill tumor cells and virus-infected cells without prior sensitization. The killing mechanism of NK cells is characterized by the induction of apoptosis of target cells by releasing cytotoxic molecules such as perforins and granzymes. The most widely studied and applied NK cell therapy is cancer therapy, where NK cells are directly infused into patients to augment the immune surveillance and tumor-killing capacity of the body. In addition, NK cells can also be engineered to enhance their specificity and potency against tumor cells.

Fig. 2. Cytokine requirements for natural killer (NK) cell development and function (Wu Y, Tian Z, et al., 2017).

GMP-grade Cytokines for Natural Killer Cells

Monocytes/Macrophages

Monocytes are immune cells circulating in the peripheral blood. They have the ability to differentiate into macrophages and dendritic cells. Macrophages have strong phagocytic activity and can phagocytize pathogens, cell debris, and foreign substances in the body. They can also present antigens, activate T cells, and amplify immune responses.

Fig. 3. Monocytes can become phenotypically distinct macrophages (Arango Duque G and Descoteaux A, 2014).

In cancer therapy, by changing the polarization state of macrophages, they can be converted from a pro-tumor M2 type to an anti-tumor M1 type to enhance the body's anti-tumor immune response. In addition, macrophages are used in tissue repair and regenerative medicine to repair and restore the function of damaged tissues.

GMP-grade Cytokines for Monocytes/Macrophages

Dendritic Cells

Dendritic cells are a type of immune cell with strong antigen uptake, processing, and presentation abilities. They are also highly specialized in antigen presentation to T cells, which can initiate adaptive immune responses. Dendritic cells play a vital role in activating and regulating the immune system.

Fig. 4. Vaccination strategy with monocyte derived dendritic cells (Patente TA, Pinho MP, et al., 2019).

Dendritic cell vaccines are one of the most thoroughly researched cell therapy approaches. Dendritic cells can be loaded with tumor antigens. These dendritic cells can present antigens to T cells and activate specific anti-tumor immune responses. In autoimmune disease and transplant rejection treatment, dendritic cells can also be used by regulating their antigen presentation function to achieve immune regulation.

GMP-grade Cytokines for Dendritic Cells

B Cells

B cells are an essential part of the adaptive immune system, and their main function is antibody production. Upon encountering specific antigens, B cells can differentiate into plasma cells that secrete large amounts of specific antibodies. These antibodies can bind to pathogens and toxins, neutralizing them and facilitating their clearance from the body.

Fig. 5. B lymphocytes and cytokine production. Cytokines derived from B cell subsets can impact several cell types of both the adaptive and the immune systems, and affect cell differentiation and/or effector function (Tsay GJ and Zouali M, 2018).

B cell therapy is mainly used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and certain hematological malignancies. In autoimmune diseases, regulating B cell activity or quantity can alleviate symptoms. In hematological cancers, by targeting antigens expressed on the surface of B cells, tumor cells can be cleared.

GMP-grade Cytokines for B Cells

Granulocytes

Granulocytes mainly refer to neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils. Neutrophils, the most abundant white blood cells, have strong phagocytic and bactericidal abilities, and are the first to arrive when infected. Eosinophils are mainly involved in allergic reactions and immunological reactions to parasitic infections. Basophils are involved in allergic reactions and inflammation.

Fig. 6. Cytokines and chemokines produced by neutrophils and/or other cells that affect neutrophil function (Tsioumpekou M, Krijgsman D, et al., 2023).

Granulocyte therapy is a type of therapy that aims to enhance the body's anti-infective ability. In certain severe infections or immunodeficiencies, granulocyte transfusion can enhance the body's immune defense capacity. Targeted therapy against granulocyte surface antigens can also be applied in the treatment of certain hematological malignancies.

GMP-grade Cytokines for Granulocytes