T Cell and Dendritic Cell Therapy Options

Dendritic cell and T cell therapy are looking to both be promising forms of care for patients dealing with a variety of physical ailments. Both types of therapy are now being studied as potential treatment for cancer, specifically for cancerous tumors. Because dendritic cells and T cells are both so necessary in the immune system, many studies include aspects of both dendritic cell therapy and T cell therapy to do their studies. Dendritic cells signal to T cells by both presenting dangerous antigens, as well as signaling through co-stimulatory molecules that such antigens are dangerous. However, dendritic cells can also lead to T cell death, especially if certain T cells recognize what seem to be normal body proteins and cells. Dendritic cells and T cells are both necessary for various immune responses to occur in the body, and they each provide certain “checkpoints” for specific immune responses to occur.

In an article in the Immunology Journal, it states that “blockage of [certain] immune checkpoint molecules has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of some cancer types such as melanoma and non‐small cell lung carcinoma.” Furthermore, specific testing has been done in an article by Nature Communications regarding dendritic cell vaccines. Dendritic cells are important for improving cancer immunotherapy specifically according to this article because of “their ability to uptake and present tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) through a variety of mechanisms.” However, this specific method has yet to be fully studied, and scientists are still working to make it successful. Recently, CRISPR technology has become an important means of study regarding dendritic cell therapy. By editing the genes in specific cells, one can potentially affect the way that dendritic cells and T cells impact cancerous cells. However, though much research is still continuing, there are also trials beginning for treating patients with different types of cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, there are multiply trials occurring specifically involving dendritic cell therapy. One for example involves patients undergoing a stem cell transplant, whereas another involves patients who have liver cancer but cannot have their liver removed. The trial involve liver cancer for example, involves a vaccine known as Prevnar. Doctors are trying to determine if this vaccine can help teach the immune system to destroy tumor cells when needed. These trials definitely include exciting new research, but they are also quite unpredictable for those involved. However, hopefully as time goes on, these trials will become normal treatment protocol, saving the lives of many more patients.