MIT researchers reprogram immune cells inside mice to attack diseased T cells

MIT researchers demonstrated a way to reprogram natural killer immune cells inside mice, using lipid nanoparticles to deliver messenger RNA that instructs the cells to recognize and destroy diseased cells. The approach avoids removing immune cells for engineering outside the body, a manufacturing obstacle for these therapies. The particles reprogrammed about 80 percent of targeted natural killer cells. In a humanized mouse model of T cell lymphoma, tumors were eradicated after five injections, matching results from conventionally engineered cells. One injection also destroyed autoreactive T cells and healed liver damage in mice with autoimmune hepatitis. There are currently no FDA-approved therapies based on engineered natural killer cells.