New cell-based immunotherapy helps to develop more effective cancer vaccines

Gliomas are originated from neuroepithelial cells. It is the most common primary cancer in human central nervous system. Current treatments are basically surgery and assisted by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, the effect of these treatments depends on the degree of malignant glioma. High-level glioma is the most aggressive one, the survival rate has not improved almost three decades, and fewer than 10% of patients live more than five years.

Researchers at University of Leuven (KU Leuven) published an article in the journal Science Translational Medicine on March 2, showing a new generation of cell-based immunotherapy. This therapy brings new hope for fighting against combat brain cancer.

Cell-based immunotherapy by injection is mainly anti-cancer vaccine, prompting the patient's immune system to attack the tumor. But so far, anti-cancer effect of such therapy is not particularly desirable. Abhishek D. Garg and Patrizia Agostinis Leuven University professor has developed a new generation of immunotherapy for this. It is possible to generate a more effective anti-cancer vaccine.

The researchers induced mice died of brain cancer cells immunogenic, and then dying of cancer cells and dendritic cells cultured with dendritic cells play a crucial role in the immune system. Studies have shown that cancer cell death immunogenicity released "dangerous signal" to make fully activated dendritic cells.

"We will activate dendritic cells as vaccine re-injected mice," Patrizia Agostinis professor explained. "This vaccine is effective alarm, the presence of cancer cells to inform the immune system. Immune cells thereby identifying a brain tumor and they launched an offensive." This study shows that only accepts the survival of brain cancer chemotherapy in mice are short. A new generation of immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy, can significantly improve survival rates of brain cancer in mice, so that nearly half of the mice completely cured.

Previously, researchers at Stanford University have the invasiveness of human brain tumors transplanted into the brains of mice, to build high-grade glioma model. They were surprised to find, cerebral cortex neural activity will promote the growth of high-grade gliomas. A basic function of an organ will actually drive tumor growth, it is extremely rare.

Researchers at the University of Michigan, published an article that protein galectin-1 plays a key role in high-grade malignant glioma in the journal Cancer Research. These proteins like a stealth fighter coating, so that the brain tumor cells before the immune early warning system "stealth", and so they found another body to attack before it is too late.

MicroRNA is non-coding single-stranded short RNA molecule that can silence gene expression. In recent years, more and more evidence shows that the dysfunction of microRNA plays a crucial role in the development of cancer, but scientists still know little about its specific mechanism. Research team at Southern Medical University conducted in-depth study on glioma, analyzing the functional mechanism of miR-637 in human glioma.

Related reading: http://www.cusabio.com/Polyclonal-Antibody/CD34-Polyclonal-Antibody-11106189.html