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An antibody that can target regulatory T cells which in turn unleashes the immune system to kill cancer cells has been discovered.
The antibody decreased tumor growth in models of melanoma, glioblastoma and colorectal carcinoma, making it effective for cancer immunotherapy.
Tregs can be targeted by using an antibody that locks in on a molecular complex that’s uniquely expressed on the cell surface of Tregs.
anti-LAP antibodies is used to investigate the development of multiple sclerosis, but realized that it has implications on cancer.
Previous studies have shown that LAP+ cells are increased in human cancer and predict a poor prognosis. Being able to target these cells could offer a new way to treat the disease.
In the current study, the team used preclinical models to investigate how well anti-LAP antibodies could work in blocking the essential mechanisms of Tregs and restoring the immune system’s ability to fight cancer.
They found that anti-LAP acts on multiple cell populations to promote the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, including increasing the activity of certain types of T cells and enhancing immune memory.
