New immunotherapy to beat cancer
Date:
September 11, 2020
Source:
Universite' catholique de Louvain
Summary:
Scientists have succeeded in neutralizing a molecule that blocks
the immune system against cancer. The researchers discovered that
this new immunotherapy increases the action of another well-known
but not always effective immunotherapy, and that it makes tumor
regression possible.
FULL STORY ========================================================================== Sophie Lucas (University of Louvain de Duve Institute) and her team
succeeded in neutralising a molecule that blocks the immune system
against cancer.
UCLouvain scientists discovered that this new immunotherapy increases the action of another well-known but not always effective immunotherapy,
and that it makes tumour regression possible. This very promising
discovery in the fight against cancer is published in the journal Nature Communications.
========================================================================== Cancer immunotherapy is the manipulation of the immune responses naturally present in the human body to fight cancer. Often, these immune responses
are blocked by cells or molecules that prevent them from killing cancer
cells, and the tumour is able to establish itself and grow.
In 2004, Sophie Lucas, researcher at the University of Louvain de Duve Institute, began studying the blocking of immune defences in tumours
in order to understand the functioning of cells that are said to be 'immunosuppressive' (which block the body's immune responses). The goal
was to identify and remove them, thus stimulating antibodies to act
against the tumour. The identified culprits are regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs): highly immunosuppressive cells in cancer patients. In 2009,
Prof. Lucas discovered GARP, a molecule located on the surface of Tregs.
In 2018, Prof. Lucas finally managed to understand the role of GARP:
the molecule acts as a messenger for Tregs, by sending signals that
block immune responses. She is developing a tool (anti-GARP antibodies)
to neutralise and prevent the messenger from sending its blocking
signals. This important discovery was published in the journal Science.
In August 2020, Nature Communications published the results of the
first tests carried out by Prof. Lucas and her team. The tests are
very promising: UCLouvain scientists succeeded in neutralising Tregs
in cancerous mice using anti-GARP antibodies. If the messenger is
neutralised, immune responses are not blocked and can again eliminate
cancer cells. The tumour regresses quickly provided the anti-GARP
antibodies are combined with another proven immunotherapy (anti-PD1 antibodies). Thus the UCLouvain team combines two complementary
immunotherapy approaches, acting in different ways on the immune system,
to increase the effectiveness of cancer treatment. And it works!
What's next? Conducting these same tests on humans to provide a more
effective therapeutic solution in the fight against cancer.
========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
Universite'_catholique_de_Louvain. Note: Content may be edited for style
and length.
========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Gre'goire de Streel, Charlotte Bertrand, Nicolas Chalon, Ste'phanie
Lie'nart, Orian Bricard, Sara Lecomte, Julien Devreux, Me'lanie
Gaignage, Gitte De Boeck, Lore Marie"n, Inge Van De Walle, Bas
van der Woning, Michael Saunders, Hans de Haard, Elien Vermeersch,
Wim Maes, Hans Deckmyn, Pierre G. Coulie, Nicolas van Baren, Sophie
Lucas. Selective inhibition of TGF-b1 produced by GARP-expressing
Tregs overcomes resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in cancer. Nature
Communications, 2020; 11 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17811-3 ==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200911093016.htm
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