Aethlon Medical Inc (AEMD)

[Makenlight]

Good Aethlon Article, Journal of Translational Medicine (Circa.27 June 2012)

Long Article Good Read

Conclusions:
Exosomes have emerged as being important vehicles for intercellular communication and for modulating immune responses, owing to their content of proteins and genetic material that mirror their cells of origin. Whereas exosomes from activated lymphocytes can possess immune stimulatory functions, there are many physiologic examples of exosomes exerting tolerogenic functions during dampening of immune responses, oral tolerance and pregnancy. In cancer, the tolerogenic activities of exosomes represent pathological responses whereby tumor cells secrete vast amounts of immune inhibitory exosomes that hinder anti-cancer immune responses. Tumor-derived exosomes are involved in the fundamental aspects of cancer pathogenesis including growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, and immune suppression. Therefore, to address the unmet need for a strategy to target tumor-secreted exosomes, one possible option involves a therapeutic hemofiltration approach, the Aethlon ADAPT™ system, which is designed to selectively capture and remove target particles such as exosomes from the entire circulatory system. This technology consists of hollow fiber plasma filtration cartridges constructed with affinity agents that are fitted for existing dialysis machines. The ADAPT™ system has the potential to address a variety of types and stages of cancer since it can incorporate diverse affinity agents for capturing cancer-specific exosomes on the basis of their display of surface proteins (using antibodies) and/or glycoproteins (using lectin affinity agents). The emerging evidence that tumor-secreted exosomes are involved in mediating resistance to therapies provides an impetus for exploration novel therapeutic options for addressing the immune inhibitory and tumor growth-promoting effects of cancer exosomes.

http://www.translational-medicine.com/content/10/1/134