Engineered T cells stick around to reduce disease in monkeys

Designer T cells that attack HIV can trigger long-lived viral control in monkeys. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are genetically altered immune cells designed to attack specific targets. Californian researchers have created CAR-T cells from blood stem cells. These cells link CD4 with a potent cell activator (CD3 zeta) and an HIV-blocking protein (C46). Stem cells can provide an ongoing source of cells with a potential long-term effect. Tested in a small number of monkeys, this strategy produced functional cells that protected CD4 T cells from infection and controlled virus rebound. The researchers are now working towards human trials. Read more