ProImmune, a life science company based in Oxford, has introduced a new tool called ProVE SL Self-Loading MHC Class I Monomers. This tool is designed to help scientists detect a specific type of immune cell called CD8+ T cells more effectively. The company says this innovation will give researchers more flexibility, speed, and coverage for over 50 different types of these cells.
The tool comes as empty, sturdy molecules that can be filled with different peptides (small pieces of proteins) by the researchers. These molecules can then be combined with various other molecules to create complexes. This process allows for quicker setup of experiments, easier changes to the setup, and the ability to study a wider range of people, including those with rare types of these cells.
Dr. Nikolai Schwabe, the CEO of ProImmune, said: “With our new ProVE SL monomers, we are giving researchers the ability to customize their tools at a speed and scale never seen before. This flexibility will speed up studies in areas like infectious diseases and cancer.
“ProVE SL Monomers are an extension of our leading products in immune cell studies, as well as our ability to create peptides.”
The ProVE SL platform solves problems with traditional tools that often limit the choice of peptides and the types of cells that can be studied. By allowing researchers to load their own peptides, the new tool supports quick adaptation to new antigens (foreign substances that can trigger an immune response) in areas like infectious diseases, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and vaccine studies.
They also work well with advanced methods for studying cells and their genes.