Destroy cancer cells and at the same time make immunotherapies more effective? This is what researchers are hoping for with the results of their latest cancer study.
Frankfurt – According to the Center for Cancer Registry Data, around 4.65 million people in Germany live with a cancer diagnosis. Certain signs can indicate cancer, but such a disease is still associated with hopelessness and incurability. A study by the US University of California provides a ray of hope.
New treatment against cancer? Cells can destroy themselves
CD95 receptors – also known as Fas receptors – could play a crucial role in the future treatment of cancer. The researchers have now managed to identify an area of an antigen that can cause cells to die – a self-destruct button, so to speak.
This is a so-called epitope, a small area on the surface of the antigen. According to the German Center for Infection Research, this can trigger a specific immune response – in this case the self-destruction of the tumor cell. The research team came to this conclusion in one studywhich appears in the trade journal Nature has been published. That could “open the door to improved cancer treatments,” one said notice of the research team.
Cancer study: Receptors can cause tumor cells to self-destruct
The Fas receptors are located on the cell membrane and, when activated, can cause the cell to self-destruct. Previous attempts to attack this receptor have so far been unsuccessful, said Jogender Tushir-Singh, professor of microbiology and immunology and lead author of the study. Now that the epitope has been identified, there could be a way to specifically activate the receptor in tumors in the future.
The researchers hope that this could work with an appropriate drug – for example in combination with CAR T-cell therapy. To do this, leukocytes are taken from patients and modified in the laboratory. According to the German Cancer Society, the CAR-T cells will then be used again and are intended to dock onto the tumor cells and activate the immune system.
New therapy against cancer? “Death receptors” can kill tumor cells
The Fas receptors, which are also called “death receptors”, are intended to kill the tumor cells and at the same time support immunotherapy, said the skin author of the study. However, such agents have not yet been clinically tested.
So it will be a while before there are advances in cancer treatment in this direction. However, discovering the mechanism is an important step in the fight against the diseases. Researchers also recently achieved a breakthrough: a new cancer drug is raising hopes. Meanwhile, research discovered possible causes for the development of metastases. (cheese)