Scientists from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed genetically modified new immune cells to fight cancer, a step that could revolutionize tumor treatment.

The researchers used an advanced type of natural killer cells (CAR-NK), immune cells capable of recognizing and attacking cancer cells automatically without prior training. To overcome the immune system’s rejection of these cells, the team genetically modified them to silence the genes of surface HLA class 1 proteins, which are markers recognized by the immune system as foreign and attacked.

The scientists relied on short interfering RNA (siRNA) technology to disable these genes, allowing the modified cells to hide and evade immune surveillance.

Experiments on mice with lymphoma showed that these cells remained effective for three weeks, 50% longer than conventional cells, and almost completely eliminated tumors, while unmodified cells failed to achieve any noticeable therapeutic effect.

The new treatment is characterized by higher safety, significantly reducing the risk of cytokine release syndrome, a serious side effect of current immunotherapies. Additionally, the genetic modification to disable HLA class 1 is done in a single step, enabling doctors in the future to produce “off-the-shelf” treatments that can be used immediately upon patient diagnosis, instead of waiting weeks as in traditional methods.

The team plans to start clinical trials on humans and is also working on developing the technology to treat autoimmune diseases such as lupus, opening new horizons in immunotherapy and promising more effective and safer treatments in the near future.