Cancer. The lack of a key molecule responsible for resistance to immunotherapy?

Researchers have recently highlighted the role played by the absence of the CD226 molecule in the resistance of certain patients with cancer to immunotherapy, reports 20 Minutes. This type of treatment stimulates the immune system of patients to fight against the pathology. Many specialists had already in the past discovered the positive or negative effects of certain molecules on the process.

[Publication CRCT] Cancer: a key mechanism of resistance to immunotherapy identified @crctoncopole @UT3PaulSabatier @IUCTOncopoleICR @FondationARC @INCa_veillePro @ToulouseCancer #Cancer https://t.co/W39FsKcGvF

– CRCT-Oncopole (@crctoncopole) December 7, 2020

An essential molecule

A study published on October 13 in the scientific journal Immunity explains that the CD226 receiver is essential for immunotherapy. It indeed allows the action of tumor cell killer lymphocytes activated by the treatment. The molecule helps the immune response to locate in the body the cancerous biological elements that it must target and destroy.

But the authors of the work also discovered that CD226 is often absent from the surface of the killer lymphocytes of patients, indicates a communicated published Monday, December 7. Researchers from the Toulouse Cancer Research Center (CRCT) assisted by Australian and Belgian specialists have thus shown that the intensity of the activity of the molecule “Conditions the response to current immunotherapies”.

Worse predictions

The “Brake” and the “Key mechanism of resistance” that the absence of the CD226 receptor constitutes is also associated with poorer prognoses in the context of certain pathologies. This is particularly the case for patients suffering from breast, liver or lung cancer as well as melanoma. To reach their conclusions, the scientists analyzed samples taken from 177 patients and used experimental models of tumors.

Immunotherapy causes “Sustainable response” in 25% of patients treated by this method, against only 11% of patients treated with chemotherapy or targeted therapy. The results of the study could ultimately contribute to “Make the action of current immunotherapies more effective”.

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