USC engineers developed SHIFTERS, a system using focused ultrasound to help CAR-T cells target solid tumors by inducing temporary CD19 markers.
Key Details
- 1SHIFTERS uses focused ultrasound to prompt tumor cells to express CD19, a marker recognized by CAR-T cells.
- 2The approach exploits tumor hypoxia, requiring both hypoxic conditions and ultrasound for activation (dual-key system).
- 3Tested in cell cultures, 3D tumor models, and animal models with brain and liver tumors, leading to dramatic tumor shrinkage when combined with CAR-T therapy.
- 4Effective immune response was observed even when only 10-25% of tumor cells expressed the temporary marker.
- 5Delivery of the SHIFTERS genetic program is still experimental, using lipid nanoparticles or modified viruses.
- 6The technology remains preclinical and is several years from human trials, requiring further technical advances and funding.
Why It Matters
This strategy could overcome a major barrier in applying CAR-T therapy to solid tumors—lack of a specific target—by noninvasively creating one via imaging technology. It highlights a novel convergence between imaging modalities and next-generation cell therapies, potentially expanding therapeutic options for intractable cancers.
Source
EurekAlert
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