presentation and targeting of this protein complex, demonstrating its adaptability. They engineered the CAR T cells to target MOG, a protein on myelin that pathogenic helper T cells respond to in MS animals.
Success For CAR T Therapy
Researchers looked at this idea in stages. First, they ensured that CAR T cells’ basic design could find and target helper T cells in mice. Almost all of the target T cells were killed by CAR T cells without any lymphodepletion.
The medicine only worked partially in animals with an autoimmune disease that looked like MS. CAR T cells were not able to get rid of 2D2 T cells, which in rats cause MS. Damage-causing helper T cells and MOG CAR T cells can’t attach well because they don’t have enough affinity, which changes the response.
When given early, the medicine made the disease less severe. CAR T cells did not stop disease-causing helper T cells with low affinity but did stop other disease-causing T cells. Researchers changed how CAR T cells were made so that more cells would live. CAR T cells become more sensitive to helper T cells with low or high affinity for MOG.
Researchers found that MS in animals happens in two parts. Based on how people responded to CAR T treatment, scientists found that pathogenic T cells with higher affinity start the illness, while their counterparts with lower affinity keep it going. The best way to use CAR T cells takes disease stages into account.
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Implications
Multiple sclerosis has been hard to treat for a long time, but this CAR T therapy animal model gives us hope for a cure. Researchers were able to make CAR T cells that target low-affinity and high-affinity helper T cells in mice that cause multiple sclerosis.
Based on these findings, CAR T therapy could be used in a planned way to either prevent disease or lessen its symptoms. If CAR T therapy could be used on people, it could be used to stop MS symptoms from getting worse or treat them more completely.