Blocking specific molecular signal on immune cells may restore ability to fight mutated cells
A previously unrecognized weakness in the immune defenses against certain blood neoplasms could offer a promising target for future treatments. Researchers have discovered that natural killer cells, which normally help the body eliminate malignant cells, remain remarkably active in patients with a particular genetic form of blood neoplasms. However, their ability to fight the disease appears to…
Scientists have uncovered a promising weakness in the immune defenses against certain blood neoplasms, potentially leading to new treatments. Researchers discovered that natural killer cells, responsible for eliminating malignant cells, remain active in patients with specific genetic mutations of blood neoplasms but their effectiveness is reduced by an inhibitory molecular signal.
Blocking this signal showed encouraging effects in laboratory experiments and an experimental disease model. This discovery could help identify patients most likely to benefit from future immunotherapy and a new approach to treating specific chronic blood disorders.
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