UCLA researchers in the Department of Microbiology Immunology and Molecular Genetics have developed a novel platform and methodology for the production of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells for therapeutic use in infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, and cancer.

BACKGROUND: Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a subset of unconventional T cells that bridge the innate and adaptive immune systems. They are characterized by their ability to recognize microbial-derived metabolic ligands, particularly from bacteria and viruses, enabling potent antimicrobial and antiviral responses. MAIT cells also exhibit an effector-memory phenotype with the ability to produce cytotoxic responses and migrate to sites of inflammation. Enriched in mucosal tissues and peripheral blood, MAIT cells serve as an important first line of defense against infections. Emerging research reveals that MAIT cells have protective roles against infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and influenza virus. Furthermore, MAIT cells have also been implicated in autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases. For example, reduced MAIT cell frequency correlates with disease severity in conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Despite the rapid advancement of this field, the therapeutic use of MAIT cells remains limited.

INNOVATION: Researchers at UCLA led by Professor Lili Yang have developed a novel platform and key reagents for engineering human allogenic MAIT cells suitable for therapeutic applications. This innovation includes MAIT-specific T cell receptors (TCRs), gene delivery vectors, and defined cell sources (e.g. pluripotent stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells). UCLA researchers have successfully designed and optimized a cell engineering workflow encompassing MAIT TCR cloning, gene engineering, and ex vivo stem cell differentiation into MAIT cells. Unlike other T cell therapies, MAIT products are “off-the-shelf” and do not require HLA donor matching, enabling broader clinical applicability. Because of their variety of roles in adaptive and innate immune response, MAIT cell are a promising immunotherapeutic platform for treating cancer, infectious diseases, allergies, autoimmune disorders, and other immune-mediated disorders. 

POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS:

• Cancer immunotherapy
• Treatment of infectious diseases
• Immunotherapy for autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases
• Allergy/hypersensitivity reactions

ADVANTAGES:

• Allogenic or “off-the-shelf” cell therapy that does not require donor match HLA haplotypes
• Dual immune function – harnesses innate and adaptive immune responses
• Scalable and defined platform
• Broad therapeutic potential

DEVELOPMENT-TO-DATE: Researchers have compiled necessary materials and protocols for the production of human mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells for therapeutic use.

Related Papers (from the inventors only): Fang, Y., Chen, Y., Niu, S. et al. Biological functions and therapeutic applications of human mucosal-associated invariant T cells. J Biomed Sci 32, 32 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-025-01125-x

KEYWORDS: T cells, mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, immunotherapy, cancer, autoimmune, infectious diseases, allogenic therapy, universal off-the-shelf therapy.