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 immune molecule, complement C3, may revolutionize cancer immunotherapy, according to a study from Nagoya University in Japan. Researchers discovered that when C3 is produced locally within tumor tissue, it helps prevent the buildup of immune-suppressing cells that can inhibit the body's ability to combat cancer. This local production of C3 allows the immune system to better identify and attack tumor cells, which can improve the efficacy of immunotherapy treatments.
The study, published in Nature Communications, suggests that this localized effect could benefit patients whose tumors do not produce enough C3 naturally. Lead author Yuki Miyai, an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Medicine, emphasized that C3's role in cancer immunotherapy has been underexplored until now. The research also indicates that the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatments is determined by the local C3 production at the tumor site, rather than the levels of C3 in the bloodstream.
The findings could potentially identify which patients are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy and lead to new treatment options for cancers that are resistant to initial treatments.
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