Folate-mediated targeting of T cells to tumors reviewed.

2004 JUL 7 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists review folate-mediated targeting of T cells to tumors in a recent issue of Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews.

According to recent research from the United States, "Recently various strategies have been developed to exploit in a clinical setting the well established finding that T cells can specifically recognize and destroy tumor cells. Several independent approaches to the targeting of T cells against cancer have been explored, including the use of bispecific antibodies (anti-T cell/anti-tumor cell) to redirect T cells, vaccines to induce tumor-reactive T cells, and adoptive transfer of ex vivo activated, tumor-reactive T cells."

"In this review, we focus on studies in which high-affinity folate receptors (FRs) on tumor cells have served as targets for redirecting or enhancing the effectiveness of activated T cells," said Edward J. Roy and collaborators at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "Bispecific antibody conjugates of folate and antibodies to the T cell receptor (TCR) complex can generate tumor-reactive T cell responses."

"The development of folate/antibody conjugated specific for the T cell co-stimulatory molecule ...