Combining CAR-T cell therapy and stem cell transplantation could help patients with difficult-to-treat blood cancers.A new ‘all-in-one’ treatment that integrates CAR-T cell therapy with more established stem cell transplantation therapy might improve outcomes for patients with blood cancers, according to a study led by researchers at Zhejiang University in China. The treatment exploits the way CAR-T cell therapy kills cancer cells and also depletes the donor T cells that cause severe...

Legend has it that Nvwa, the mother goddess in Chinese mythology, created mankind. The infinite possibilities of nature are often captured in mythological stories. With the development of modern science, scientists have discovered that the proteins essential for life are basically composed of 20 natural amino acids. However, the universe of amino acids extends far beyond these 20. In recent years, through various research methods, scientists have synthesized a variety of non-canonical amino...

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) accounts for 15% of pediatric and 25% of adult cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Even though allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) may be curative for T-ALL patients, disease relapses often occur, resulting in a dismal prognosis. Therefore, novel agents are urgently needed.On July 5, 2024, Prof. JIN Jie from the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (FAHZU) published an article entitled “...

With the arrival of summer, cleaning air conditioners is an imperative step, as they often harbor various pathogens, including Legionella pneumophila. A recent scientific breakthrough has shed light on a novel bacterial “toxin” present within Legionella pneumophila — an effector protein named LnaB. This protein serves a dual function. It can actively cleanse harmful molecules so as to aid host cells in maintaining their normal physiological process. Meanwhile, it can impair the host immun...

The occurrence and development of liver fibrosis (LF) are always accompanied by inflammatory responses and the involvement of various immune cells. Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory treatments hold promise as new strategies for combating liver fibrosis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a type of pluripotent stem cell with advantages such as multipotent differentiation potential in vitro, low immunogenicity, and immunomodulatory functions. Consequently, MSC-based cell immunotherapy targetin...

Autologous CAR T-cell therapy, in which a patient’s own T-cells are re-engineered to recognize and bind to specific antigens on the surface of cancer cells, represents a groundbreaking advancement in immunotherapy and is now a standard of care for certain hematologic malignancies. However, this bespoke form of treatment has yet to gain a toehold in solid tumors, owing to challenges such as limited cell proliferation, insufficient tumor infiltration, and a tumor microenvironment that fosters imm...

Some gut bacteria can collaborate to promote T-cell action against tumours in mice, raising hopes for treatments.A new study led by Zhejiang University researchers has identified ways by which some microbes might influence cancer immunotherapy, suggesting a potential microbial-based adjuvant approach to improve the responsiveness of immunotherapy. Their results were published in Cell1 in March 2024.Doctors and scientists have long been puzzled about why some patients respond better tha...

"It's wonderful that my daughter doesn’t need dialysis anymore. Her skin is lightened and she becomes more outgoing. Thank you so much for giving my child a chance at living a quality life with a kidney transplant."Standing in the ward of the Urology Department at the Children’s Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine (ZCH), Miao Miao's mother expressed her gratitude while preparing for her discharge from the hospital.Miao Miao is a 13-year-old ...

Bone is one of the most common sites of early metastasis of cancer and is also a "hotbed" for tumor cells. Why do tumor cells go after hard bones first? The latest study by teams from Prof. FAN Shunwu and Prof. LIN Xianfeng’s Lab from Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital (SRRSH), affiliated with Zhejiang University School of Medicine, found that they are directed at osteoclasts, the only cells in the human body that can secrete acid and dissolve bone. By feeding them closely, tumor cells "r...

In a significant stride for China's presence on the global stage of cell immunotherapy, Professor HUANG He from theBone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (FAHZU) has been at the forefront, showcasing remarkable advancements in CAR T-cell therapy. Recently, the contributions of his team were highlighted in February, during the 6th European CAR-T Conference held in Valencia, Spain, where he delivered insig...