A protein older than blood circulation could transform cancer immunotherapy
A protein that evolved long before the human circulatory system may help unlock stronger cancer treatments. When C3 is produced inside tumors, it blocks immune-suppressing cells and gives immunotherapy a better chance to work. Researchers were even able to recreate this effect in resistant tumors, significantly improving survival in mice.
An ancient protein, complement C3, which predates blood circulation, may boost cancer immunotherapy, according to scientists at Nagoya University in Japan. The research, published in Nature Communications, discovered that C3 produced locally within tumor tissue helps prevent immune-suppressing cells from entering the tumor environment.
This local C3 enhances the immune system's capacity to identify and combat cancer cells, while C3 circulating through the bloodstream does not impact treatment efficacy. C3, found in simple organisms like sponges and jellyfish, is primarily produced in the liver and released into the bloodstream to protect against infections. The researchers found that fibroblasts in tumor tissue produce C3, which keeps immunosuppressive myeloid cells out of the tumor, allowing the immune system a better chance to attack cancer.
They tested a drug designed to mimic C3's action, which enabled immunotherapy to work against tumors previously resistant to treatment. This could help doctors identify patients likely to benefit from immunotherapy and potentially lead to new treatment options for cancers that don't respond initially. Higher levels of C3 in tumor tissue surrounding cancer cells were associated with better treatment outcomes and longer survival in lung cancer patients.
The researchers plan to explore ways to increase C3 levels inside tumors and determine the most effective timing for treatment.
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