Nierkens S, Lindemans CA (2025) Hole in one: CD137-ADC eliminates GVHD. Blood 146(9):1038-1040. doi: 10.1182/blood.2025029867 PMID: 40875553
Objective: To show that a single dose of CD137-ADC can prevent acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) while pre-serving immune reconstitution in a nonhuman primate (NHP) model of stem cell transplantation.
Summary: Results showed that animals treated with CD137-ADC exhibited markedly reduced clinical and histopathological features of GVHD, improved survival, and, notably, no need for additional immunosuppressive therapy. Although still in preclinical development, these findings support the potential for translation to highly needed human therapy.
Diamantoudis SC, Miliotou AN, Galatou E, Telliou S, Sideris K, Grigoriadis N, Vizirianakis IS (2025) Assessing the hematological cancer stem cell landscape to improve immunotherapy clinical decisions. Biocell doi: 10.32604/biocell.2025.067216
Objective: To combine existing information and clinical evidence to assess and bring to the spotlight targets related to Hematological cancer stem cells (HCSCs) that can be considered for the improvement of therapeutic interventions.
Summary: Targeting HCSCs represents one of the most promising advances toward achieving lasting remission and potential cure in hematologic malignancies. Next-generation immunotherapies—enabled by advances in molecular profiling, synthetic biology, and systems immunology—can shift the paradigm in blood cancers by overcoming current limitations.
Usage: CD117-ADC (carrying streptavidin–saporin) has shown dose-dependent results in mice, with a range from 0.3–1.5 mg/kg, as depletion of stem cells was noted with the subsequent successful engraftment of allogenic transplants.
Peterson D (2025) Alternative treatments and potential cures for type 1 diabetes. SD State Univ Thesis.
Objective: To discuss alternative treatment for type one diabetes.
Summary: The use of immunological therapies and stem cells differentiated in insulin-like secreting beta cells is at the forefront of therapies aimed at preserving beta cell function and the potential of a cure for type one diabetes. A recent study evaluated multiple cell lines with the NKp46 receptor present to examine the effects of a new antibody drug called 02. The result was that the 02-saporin significantly decreased the NK tumor cell line from proliferating.
Usage: 02-saporin was introducted to a NK tumor cell line while comparing another well-known drug with saporin attached.
Ren X, Wang Y, Zhang Y (2025) Targeted depletion of dysfunctional hematopoietic stem cells mitigates myeloid-biased differentiation in aged mice. Cell Discov 11:56. doi: 10.1038/s41421-025-00810-3 PMID: 40490480
Objective: To develop and evaluate a targeted strategy for depleting dysfunctional, myeloid-biased CD150-high hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in aged mice to restore balanced hematopoiesis and mitigate aging-related blood disorders.
Summary: The study used an antibody-toxin conjugate to selectively eliminate CD150-high HSCs, improving lymphoid-to-myeloid ratios, reducing platelet hyperproduction, and restoring hematopoietic balance in aged mice. Treatment preserved functional CD150-low HSCs and showed minimal off-target or systemic toxicity.
Usage: Streptavidin-ZAP (IT-27) was combined with a biotinylated anti-CD150 antibody to generate Anti-CD150-SAP (IT-103). This conjugate was used at doses of 1–2 mg/kg in vivo and as low as 0.01 nM in vitro to specifically deplete CD150-high HSCs while sparing CD150-low populations.
Movahed AY, Bagheri R, Savatier P, Šarić T, Moradi S (2025) Elimination of tumorigenic pluripotent stem cells from their differentiated cell therapy products: An important step toward ensuring safe cell therapy. Stem Cell Reports 102543. doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2025.102543 PMID: 40541178
Objective: To review and evaluate current strategies for eliminating tumorigenic pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) from differentiated cell therapy products to improve the safety of PSC-based regenerative therapies.
Summary: Residual undifferentiated PSCs pose a tumorigenic risk in cell therapies. This review outlines genetic, antibody, toxin, and small molecule strategies for selectively removing PSCs, emphasizing the need for efficient, selective methods to ensure safety in regenerative medicine.
Usage: References a previous study that used Fab-ZAP to eliminate pluripotent stem cells by targeting specific surface markers, demonstrating its application as a targeted immunotoxin for PSC depletion.
Konturek-Ciesla A, Zhang Q, Kharazi S, Bryder D (2025) A non-genotoxic stem cell therapy boosts lymphopoiesis and averts age-related blood diseases in mice. Nat Commun 16(1):5129. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-60464-3 PMID: 40456713
Objective: Application of Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation leads to treatment toxicity. Therefore, authors employed a murine transplantation model based on low-intensity conditioning protocols using antibody-mediated HSC depletion to improve hematopoietic output and ameliorate age-compromised lymphopoiesis.
Summary: Authors demonstrate that young HSCs, once effectively engrafted in aged hosts, improve hematopoietic output and ameliorate age-compromised lymphopoiesis. This culminated in a strategy that robustly mitigates disease progression in a genetic model of myelodysplastic syndrome. These results suggest that non-genotoxic HSC transplantation could fundamentally change the clinical management of age-associated hematological disorders, offering a prophylactic tool to delay or even prevent their onset in elderly patients.
Usage: CD45-SAP (3 mg/kg) was administered to young (2 months) and aged (16 months) C57BL/6-CD45.2 mice
Gastfriend BD, Palecek SP, Shusta EV (2025) Differentiation of brain mural cells from human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural crest by activation of notch3 signaling. (eds. Barichello, T.). Blood-Brain Barrier 221:11-35. Humana, New York, NY. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4474-4_2
Objective: To describe a serum-free method to differentiate brain mural cells from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), using lentiviral overexpression of the Notch3 intracellular domain in a neural crest intermediate.
Summary: Protocols were given on how to perform Flow cytometry, Neural crest differentiation and Lentivirus production .
Dib C, Queenan J, Willner H, Swartzrock L, Charlesworth C, Denis M, Davis J, Nakauchi H, Liu DR (2025) Combining hsc base-editing with anti-cd117 antibody conditioning to correct severe combined immunodeficiency disorder in a novel mouse model. Transplantation and Cellular Therapy 31(2):S253-S354. doi: 10.1016/j.jtct.2025.01.385
Objective: To test whether base-edited hematopoietic stem cells (HSPCs) combined with non-genotoxic antibody conditioning can correct severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) in a novel Rag2 mutant mouse model.
Summary: Base-editing delivered via engineered virus-like particles successfully corrected Rag2 mutations in HSPCs, which restored lymphocyte development following transplantation. Conditioning with an Anti-CD117-Saporin conjugate enabled efficient engraftment without irradiation toxicity, demonstrating a safer strategy for SCID treatment.
Usage: Mice were conditioned with Anti-CD117-SAP (IT-83) at 1.5 mg/kg intravenously prior to transplantation of base-edited or wild-type HSPCs.
Lin CCJ, Tian Y, Tanzi RE, Jorfi M (2024) Approaches for studying neuroimmune interactions in Alzheimer’s disease. Trends Immunol S1471-4906(24)00248-5. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2024.10.002 PMID: 39537528
Objective: To examine cutting-edge strategies – encompassing animal and cellular models – used to investigate the roles of peripheral immune cells in AD.
Summary: Recent studies using rodent models and innovative human-based cellular systems are beginning to shed light on how peripheral immune cells infiltrate the brain and modulate disease progression.
Usage: Strategies for bone marrow depletion using anti-CD45 or anti-CD117 antibodies conjugated with the ribosome-inactivating protein saporin have been used.
Limonta P, Chiaramonte R, Casati L (2024) Unveiling the dynamic interplay between cancer stem cells and the tumor microenvironment in melanoma: Implications for novel therapeutic strategies. Cancers (Basel) 16(16):2861. doi: 10.3390/cancers16162861 PMID: 39199632
Objective: To review the bidirectional communication between melanoma cancer stem cells (CSCs) and the tumor microenvironment, highlighting its role in drug resistance and tumor relapse.
Summary: Melanoma CSCs evade immune surveillance and recruit immune cells with immunosuppressive and tumor-promoting properties, establishing a supportive microenvironment. They also transfer stemness and aggressive traits to neighboring non-CSCs, driving tumor progression and metastasis. Targeting these interactions may offer novel therapeutic strategies for combating melanoma.
Usage: This review publication highlights the usage of Anti-CD271-SAP and CD133-SAP in previous publications.
