Immune system protein is a cancer killer on its own, new study shows
For decades, scientists have known that a protein made by T cells and natural killer (NK) cells in the immune system, called perforin, can kill tumor cells by punching a hole in the cell wall and injecting proteases called granzymes, which kill the cell. Now, new work led by researchers at the University of Michigan Health Rogel Cancer Center found that tumor cells could be killed even when major…
Scientists have discovered that a protein produced by immune cells called perforin can kill cancer cells independently of other proteins, according to a new study published in the journal Cell. Perforin works by punching a hole in the cancer cell's wall and injecting enzymes that lead to the cell's death. The study's co-senior authors, Weiping Zou from the University of Michigan and Ilona Kryczek from Harvard Medical School, found that perforin can still kill cancer cells even when key enzymes called granzymes are missing.
The researchers also discovered that perforin can trigger a specific form of cell death called ferroptosis, which involves the accumulation of iron inside the cell and the subsequent oxidation of lipids. This finding challenges the traditional understanding of how immune cells kill tumors and could lead to new strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatments.
Written by urgent.news from Medical Xpress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
