Developing safe and immune-tolerated cell-based therapies for the treatment of multiple sclerosis

Stem cell-based regenerative medicine is rapidly advancing, however, the risk of tumor formation and immune rejection of foreign grafts remain as major hurdles hindering clinical translation. Our laboratory has previously addressed these issues by developing a kill switch termed the SafeCell System to eliminate tumorigenic cells from a graft, and the induced Allogeneic Cell Tolerance (iACT) System to allow ‘universal’ acceptance of cells. Here, we tested the SafeCell and iACT systems following transplantation of cells into the mouse brain, thereby validating their potential application for treating neurological diseases. As a means to more effectively treat multiple sclerosis MS, we created designer cells that express an inducible therapeutic protein, interleukin 1 receptor 2 (IL-1R2). IL-1R2 produced by therapeutic cells showed anti-inflammatory properties, blocking the production of an immune cell type that promotes tissue damage in MS