Research offers new approach to nongenetic T-cell-based immunotherapy

Immunotherapies for cancer aim to induce the immune system to combat cancer cells more effectively. In the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, a Chinese research team has now described a new, modular strategy for T-cell-based immunotherapy that manages to work without complex genetic modifications. Modulation of cell–cell communications through an ingenious regulatory circuit using various small, specially folded DNA molecules (aptamers) causes cancer cells to directly activate their mortal enemies, T cells.