According to the press service of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Science Foundation, Krasnoyarsk scientists, with the support of this Regional Science Foundation, have developed three new technologies for the recovery and prevention of the development of cancer relapse. Their introduction will improve the efficiency of treatment and rehabilitation of patients with cancer. New technologies are based on the reprogramming of innate immune cells and enhancement of their antitumor activity.

As a result of the research, three technologies have been developed: a new method for estimating the number of circulating tumor cells and two methods for metabolic reprogramming of neutrophils and monocytes. In addition, scientists identified substances involved in cell metabolism which stimulates the antitumor activity of neutrophils.

The new medical technology for estimating the number of circulating tumor cells using flow cytometry can be implemented on any flow cytometer using reagents from various manufacturers, with a small amount of blood (no more than 0.5 ml) to be used and minimum time to be needed for the analysis (no more than 45 minutes from the moment the laboratory receives blood samples). This method will allow for much faster and cheaper diagnostics as compared to the existing analogues.

“The fact is that innate immune cells, primarily neutrophils and monocytes, play a significant role in various cancers in humans. They can destroy and contribute to the destruction of tumor cells, but only at the early stages of the disease. If the tumor has considerably developed, it reprograms (changes) cells and their functional properties, and at the late stages of cancer, neutrophils, on the contrary, protect the tumor. Therefore, our goal was to develop a method for reprogramming these cells back and restoring their functional activity, " explains the project supervisor, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Andrey Savchenko.

Technologies for metabolic reprogramming of neutrophils and monocytes have no analogues in the world. After removal of the tumor, the organism undergoes chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. This reduces the activity of the immune system. At this point, it is important to restore the immune system. For this, the patient is sent to a day hospital. There, his blood is taken, from which cells are isolated, and the necessary procedures are performed according to the developed and approved technologies. Then, the activated cells are reintroduced into the patient's organism, and in the evening the patient returns home.

The developed technologies will be tested on various oncological diseases and introduced into practical healthcare. In addition, the possibilities of metabolic reprogramming of innate immune cells in the treatment of patients with infectious and inflammatory diseases will be investigated.