How Can CD8 T Cells be Manipulated for Therapeutic Purposes?
Therapeutic manipulation of CD8 T cells is a growing area of research, particularly in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Strategies include adoptive cell transfer, where patients' own CD8 T cells are expanded and activated ex vivo before being reintroduced into the body. Genetic engineering techniques, such as CAR-T cell therapy, involve modifying CD8 T cells to express chimeric antigen receptors that target specific tumor antigens. Additionally, the use of vaccine strategies aims to enhance the activation and proliferation of antigen-specific CD8 T cells.
