New Insights on Improving Immunotherapy for Cancer

In a significant development, a team of scientists has discovered a novel mechanism of suppression which inhibits cancer-specific immune responses and developed new methods of activating the immune cells against cancer.

Mechanism of Suppression

• In patients with tumor, the ability of the immune system (especially the CD8+ T cells) to eliminate cancer cells, particularly in lung, gut and liver tissues, is often limited.
• The study found that this suppression of immune response is mediated by a breakdown product from glucose metabolism. In and around tumors, a specific type of myeloid immune cells (suppressor cells) which suppress the activation of CD8+ T ....