Imagine if the cure for cancer were right under our noses, hiding inside our bodies, removing the needs for chemotherapy and other very debilitating treatments. This idea is under great research and even now more than ever with more insight into the immune systems instant assassins known as Natural Killer cells (NK cells). The human immune system is already great at taking out pathogens and other harmful substances that enter our bodies, but when dealing with things that originate inside ourselves, it is not up to par. In the case of cancerous cells, immune system cells such as NK cells are not high in number and do not recognize them as foreign, therefore they do not target them for destruction. In the case of NK cells, studies into how the lethal abilities work have been undertaken for more than three decades, but not much is known of how these NK cells develop from unspecialized cells. However, current research has uncovered the enzyme MYSM1 (Myb-like SWIRM and MPN domain containing protein 1) that is involved in the final stages of NK cell maturation via epigenetic change. Scientists believe that by increasing the levels of this enzyme it would increase the number of NK cells throughout the body and could prove helpful in battling cancer. It has been seen that over expression of MYSM1 increases the strength of the NK cells, and future studies into how to make these cells conscious to tumors needs to be done. Trials have already begun in mice that try to find ways to add specific makers that would ultimately target cancerous cells and destroy them.
Devitt, L. (2013, Sep. 13). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://blogs.nature.com/spoonful/2013/09/surprising-epigenetic-switch-for-natural-killer-cells-eyed-for-cancer-therapy.html
Jorge,
ReplyDeleteThat is fascinating research! I see that the article was just published, but do you happen to know if the overexpression of MYSM1, and consequently the up-regulation of NK cells, would be more effective in some cancers versus other cancers? Unfortunately, since cancer cells are tricky oftentimes they not only attack NK cells, but they also escape attack, via mutations, from innate immune cells - including NK cells (1). This leads me to believe that in order for a treatment like this to work, MYSM1 would need to be administered neoadjuvantly to prevent cancer cells from escaping the replaced NK cells.
1. Cheng M, Chen Y, Xiao W, Sun R, and Tian Z. NK cell-based immunotherapy for malignant diseases. Cellular & Molecular Immunology. April 2013. 10: 230–252; doi:10.1038/cmi.2013.10
Sounds like some facinating research. I always assumed that the one of the major problems of malignant cancer cells is that the immune system doesn't attack them like they would other cancerous cells or that the cancerous cells simply just out produce the immune response by multiplying faster than the immune system can take them down. It is really interesting to see some of the research being done into actively promoting an immune response to cancer cells. I wonder if there is a concern of triggering autoimmune disorders by supercharging some of these immune cells. Do you know anything about that?
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