Designer cells block psoriasis

Dr.Andrea Bannert has been with since 2013. The doctor of biology and medicine editor initially carried out research in microbiology and is the team's expert on the tiny things: bacteria, viruses, molecules and genes. She also works as a freelancer for Bayerischer Rundfunk and various science magazines and writes fantasy novels and children's stories.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

Psoriasis is very uncomfortable. In the future, however, genetically modified cells could help against the reddened and severely itchy areas of the skin.

Marion B. gets artificially modified cells injected under her skin by her doctor. 200 pieces each are packed in small capsules made from algae gelatine. They suppress another flare-up of psoriasis in Marion. The 35-year-old has been grappling with the skin disease, also known as psoriasis, for years, which is noticeable in reddened and strongly flaking inflammation.

However, this treatment is still a long way off and Marion B. is fictitious. Psoriasis patients still have to be content with creams or drugs that only inhibit the immune system, but do not offer any causal therapy. But: "It could be in ten years", says Prof. Martin Fussenegger to Together with his team, the biotechnologist is developing the designer cells against psoriasis at the Department of Biosystem Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich.

Genetically tuned cells

The anti-psoriasis cells are normal human cells, but they are genetically tuned. “This enables them to very precisely identify the messenger substances that trigger psoriasis and then immediately provide the therapy against it,” explains Fussenegger.

More precisely, it works like this: Before the rash breaks out, the concentration of two specific messenger substances in the blood increases. They are called TNF and IL-22. Only if both occur together in larger quantities is that a specific sign of psoriasis. TNF alone, on the other hand, also increases if you have a cold nose, for example.

The designer cell has so-called receptors that can measure TNF and IL-22. If it detects the messenger substances, it produces two anti-inflammatory drugs: interleukin-4 and interleukin-10. "This reduces the inflammation and thus suppresses the development of psoriasis," says Fussenegger.

Hiding in the algae capsule

In the mouse model, this worked very well. The scientists shaved the rodents' backs and smeared an irritating cream on them. The local inflammation caused by this is comparable to psoriasis. Then they implanted the designer cells encapsulated in algae gelatine in the animals' abdomen. Packaging is important so that the mouse's immune system does not identify and fight designer cells as invaders. In a second attempt, they first injected the designer cells into the rodents and then applied the anti-inflammatory cream.

Over a period of seven days, the researchers examined the skin of the mice with their bare eyes and also examined thin sections of the skin under the microscope. The thickness of the epidermis - i.e. the outer layer of skin - is a measure of how severe the psoriasis is. In addition, Fussenegger and his colleagues determined the corresponding messenger substances for psoriasis in the blood.

Prevention and therapy

The result: With the designer cells, psoriasis healed much faster in the animals than without it. The therapy also had a preventive effect. “The mice that we equipped with the implants before applying the cream did not develop any inflammation at all,” explains Fussenegger.

“The vision would be to have the cells implanted under the skin and the psoriasis will be gone for a lifetime - like a vaccination.” So far, the cells have to be replaced every three to four months. One problem is the necessary connection to the bloodstream in order to supply the designer cells with nutrients. So-called fibroblasts, which overgrow the algae capsules, ensure this connection. Over time, however, these become clogged, which stops the cells from functioning. "It would be possible, however, to freeze the designer cells and then deposit them with the family doctor so that they can be injected three times a year," says Fussenegger.

"I have faith in the method"

However, there is still a long way to go from mouse to human. The therapy has to be checked for its effectiveness and possible side effects in clinical tests on different patient groups. When the time comes, Fussenegger would have the designer cells implanted, provided he had problems with psoriasis: "I have confidence in what we have developed and in the regulations for implementation."

Source: Fussenegger M. et al .: Implantable synthetic cytokine converter cells with AND-gate logic treat experimental psoriasis, Science, January 2016.

Tags:  medicinal herbal home remedies vaccinations therapies