Et forskerhold fra Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) ved University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine fandt ud af, at om en tumor er varm eller kold, bestemmes af information indlejret i selve kræftcellerne. “Hot” tumors are often considered more sensitive to immunotherapy. In a new study published this week in Immunity, the researchers explored the role of “tumor heterogeneity”, namely the ability of tumor cells to move, replicate, metastasize and respond to treatment. These new findings can help oncologists more accurately tailor the unique tumor composition of patients.
Ben Stanger, professor i gastroenterologi og celle- og udviklingsbiologi ved University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, sagde, at graden, i hvilken T-celler tiltrækkes af tumorer, er reguleret af de tumorspecifikke gener. For at tumorer kan vokse, skal de undgå angreb fra immunsystemet. Der er to måder: at udvikle sig til kolde tumorer eller varme tumorer, der kan udtømme T-celler, og effektivt beskytte tumorceller mod skader på patientens immunsystem.
In this study, researchers found that whether a tumor is hot or cold determines whether it will respond to immunterapi. Cold tumor cells produce a compound called CXCL1, which can instruct bone marrow cells to enter the tumor, keep T cells away from the tumor, and ultimately make the immunotherapy insensitive. In contrast, knocking out CXCL1 in cold tumors promotes T cell infiltration and sensitivity to immunotherapy.
Holdet genererede en række cellelinjer, der efterligner egenskaberne ved bugspytkirteltumorer, herunder de typer af immunceller, de indeholder. I fremtiden kan disse tumorcellelinjer hjælpe yderligere med at identificere og optimere behandlingen for specifikke undertyper af patienter med forskellige tumorheterogenitetstilstande.
