#ScienceSaturday What if we could combine the strengths of two different immune cells to build a better cancer fighter? ➡️ A new study in @NatImmunol introduced a new type of engineered immune cell called a syncytial CAR macrophage (S-CAR-M), created by fusing a CAR #macrophage with a #neutrophil. Why combine them? 🧬 CAR macrophages can recognize and engulf #cancer cells. 🧭 Neutrophils are especially good at traveling toward areas of inflammation, including tumors. By combining the two, researchers created hybrid cells that were better able to find and enter tumors, while also gaining additional cancer-fighting abilities from neutrophils. ➡️ Once there, the S-CAR-Ms released reactive oxygen species and neutrophil extracellular traps, damaging cancer cells and exposing signals that essentially tell macrophages: “eat me.” The hybrid cells could then engulf and clear the damaged tumor cells. But perhaps the most interesting finding was what happened next. ➡️ After consuming tumor cells, S-CAR-Ms helped activate the body's own T cells against additional tumor targets beyond the antigen recognized by the CAR, a process known as antigen spreading. That could be important because tumors are heterogeneous, and cancer cells with little or none of the targeted antigen can sometimes escape #CAR therapies. In mouse models of colorectal and breast cancer, the engineered cells reduced tumor growth, metastasis and recurrence and outperformed conventional CAR macrophages. They also showed promising activity when combined with radiation or surgery. ➡️ This concept is exciting: rather than relying on the abilities of a single #immune cell, could the next generation of cell therapies combine the best features of several? @FudanUniversity @2024_HUST @Nature @NaturePortfolio Read more here: nature.com/articles/s41590-0…