As personalized cell therapies like CAR-T cell treatments advance, monitoring modified immune cells in patients remains a critical challenge. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have created a non-invasive imaging technique to address this gap, enabling real-time tracking of therapeutic cells in the body.
The method involves equipping engineered immune cells with an artificial receptor called DTPA-R, developed using anticalins—engineered proteins pioneered by TUM’s Arne Skerra. A complementary radioactive tracer, 18F-DTPA, binds exclusively to these receptors, allowing positron emission tomography (PET) scans to visualize cell migration, proliferation, and distribution.
In mouse studies, the team demonstrated that CAR-T cells migrated effectively to diseased tissue and expanded as intended. The tracer showed rapid kidney excretion, minimal off-target binding, and no interference with cellular functions. The approach also proved applicable to gene therapies using viral vectors.
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Wolfgang Weber, lead author of the study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, emphasized the tool’s potential: “We believe that we have created a valuable tool that can make such therapies safer by providing better insight into what happens inside the body.” While clinical trials are needed for human use, the method is already yielding valuable insights for basic research. By enabling continuous monitoring in lab animals, it could reduce the number required for studies—advancing both medical progress and animal welfare.