- Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have discovered a novel drug that enhances the ability of immune cells to combat cancer.
- In experiments involving mice with melanoma, bladder cancer, leukemia, and colon cancer, the drug hindered tumor growth, prolonged life, and amplified immunotherapy results.
- The discovery targets the troublesome 9p21 DNA segment deletion, prevalent in many cancers, that empowers tumors to grow unrestrained and evade immune responses.
- With promising results in animal studies, the drug, PEG-MTAP, could amplify immunotherapy treatments and is poised for further testing and potential human clinical trials.
New research published in
Many cancers exhibit a deletion in the DNA segment known as 9p21. This deletion occurs in
Researchers have long recognized that the presence of the 9p21 deletion often leads to poorer patient outcomes and a decreased response to immunotherapies, treatments aimed at enhancing the body’s innate immune reaction to cancer cells.
The deletion aids cancer cells in evading detection and destruction by the immune system. This is partly because it triggers the cancer cells to release a harmful compound named methylthioadenosine (MTA).
This compound not only disrupts the regular operations of immune cells but also diminishes the effectiveness of immunotherapies.
In animal studies, this new drug reduces the levels of MTA to their usual state, rejuvenating the immune system.
A noticeable increase in T cells surrounding the tumor can be observed, and these cells are aggressive.
T cells play a crucial role in the immune system, acting like a special…
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