A team from the Institute of Health Research and Innovation at the University of Porto (I3S) has developed a new “highly effective” therapy against aggressive solid tumors, such as stomach, pancreas and ovarian.
The study on Monday in Cell Reports Medicine“It represents a significant advance in the field of immunotherapy, opening new prospects for cancers with still very limited treatment options,” the I3S describes in a statement sent to Lusa.
According to the institution, a “promising strategy” is at stake that “could, in the near future, be applied in the Treatment of cancers of difficult clinical approach”.
The new therapy was “tested on various preclinical models, from organoids to animal models with patients derived from patients (xenotransplants).”
The results “showed effective elimination of tumor cellseven in tumors (…) with characteristics that normally represent barriers to the effectiveness of cell therapies, demonstrating the sensitivity and robustness of this approach, ”the researchers indicate.
The work focused on “a glycan called Siaryl-TN (STN), absent in healthy tissues, but abundantly expressed in many tumors of epithelial origin, such as gastric, pancreatic and colorectal,” he explained Rafaela Abrantesfirst author of the article developed under the doctoral program of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS).
“The team has developed a new monoclonal antibody, the AM52.1, which exclusively recognizes the Glicano STN. From this antibody, an artificial receiver was then built that, expressed in T cells, Originated genetically modified cells, the new car t cells”Describes the institute.
It was these car t “cells that proved highly effective in recognition and Selective elimination of tumor cells”, Clarifies the coordinator of the investigation, Celso A. Reisleader of the Glycobiology in Cancer I3S group and ICBAS teacher.
“Several functional tests have shown that by recognizing the tumor cells that express the glycan of interest, the new car t They are activated robustly, producing inflammatory cytokines and toxic compounds, efficiently eliminating target cells”Indicates Rafaela Abrantes, also a researcher at the Glycobiology in Cancer group of I3S.
