Cancer illustration. Photo: Tempo.Co
Beijing, Bolong.Id – Chinese scientists discovered an inhibitor of Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) caused by cancer immunotherapy.
Reporting from 新华网, Friday (29/09/2023) CRS, also known as cytokine storm, is an overreaction of the immune system.
This occurs as an adverse effect of certain types of immunotherapy, such as CAR T cell therapy, which can efficiently treat malignant tumors while stimulating immune cells to release many inflammatory cytokines, thereby causing CRS.
Patients with CRS show symptoms such as fever, hypotension, organ failure, and even death in severe cases.
The current treatment option is to inject interleukin-6 (IL-6) antibodies, a proinflammatory cytokine.
However, this drug cannot be injected before the occurrence of CRS, otherwise the normal levels of IL-6 in the body will be affected.
Scientists from the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology developed a temperature-sensitive hydrogel conjugated with IL-6 antibodies.
It can be injected first and significantly reduces IL-6 levels when CAR T cell-induced CRS occurs.
The implanted hydrogel works like a “sponge” by absorbing IL-6 only when levels rise above normal, thereby preventing CRS from occurring, according to the paper.
He added that the “sponge” does not affect the antitumor efficacy of immunotherapy and can be easily removed with a syringe.
2023-09-30 18:16:00
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