IIT Bombay scientists have unveiled an innovative scaffold-based method to retrieve lab-grown T-cells with unprecedented safety and efficacy, supercharging the potential of CAR T-cell cancer therapies. This development tackles a persistent pain point in advanced immunotherapies, ensuring more viable cells for patient treatment.
At the heart of CAR T-cell therapy is the manipulation of a patient’s own T-cells: extraction from blood, lab modification for cancer-targeting prowess, massive expansion, and reintroduction. Success hinges on harvesting these cells post-culture without compromising their vitality—a step fraught with difficulties that often results in cell loss or dysfunction.
Leading the charge, Professor Prakriti Tayalia of IIT Bombay’s Biosciences and Bioengineering Department noted, ‘Cell recovery looks simple in theory but poses massive practical hurdles. Insufficient healthy cells derail both research validation and clinical use.’
To overcome this, the researchers employed electrospraying to fabricate polycaprolactone scaffolds—thin mats of nanofiber resembling intricate webs. These biomimetic structures replicate physiological niches, fostering robust Jurkat T-cell growth. Jurkat cells, a staple in immunology research for cancer and HIV studies, penetrated and anchored securely within the fibers, as confirmed by detailed microscopy.
Conventional trypsin treatment proved destructive, killing off many cells. Switching to gentler Accutase enzyme dramatically improved outcomes: higher survival rates, intact clustering for division, and sustained proliferation after extraction. These recovered cells mirrored natural T-cell performance.
This breakthrough enhances the scalability and reliability of CAR T-cell production, critical for broader adoption in treating aggressive cancers. By minimizing cell damage, IIT Bombay’s technique could lower costs and improve success rates, offering hope to millions battling the disease. As global demand for personalized immunotherapies surges, this innovation positions India at the forefront of biotech progress.