Student Duquesne University - Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs), a type of lymph node stromal cells, have been proposed as cell therapies for modulation of T cell responses in cancer and autoimmune diseases. Clinical translation is impeded because FRCs must be delivered as units resembling the three-dimensional (3D) reticular network to recapitulate their in vivo organization. To address this unmet need, we developed a fibrillar formulation comprised of avidin cross-linked biotinylated self-assembling peptide (EAKbt) that drives FRCs to form reticular 3D clusters. The clustered FRCs exhibited viable spherical morphologies with porous cores and expressed adhesion molecules for T cell retention. Data from materials characterizations and biological analysis (e.g., T cell co-cultures) will be presented. Furthermore, we used a machine learning approach to classify the clusters based on their morphological features as a form of quality assurance in cell manufacturing. In summary, the EAKbt-avidin system can be used to deliver FRCs as a form of immunomodulation.
Learning Objectives:
Discover the potential of fibroblastic reticular cells as immunotherapy using a peptidic scaffold to mimic the in vivo microenvironment.
Explore the applicability of a self assembling peptide for cell delivery.
Recognize the characteristics of the formulated cell clusters and their potential for cell therapy.