WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Researchers at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have found a possible way to make immune cells stronger and help them fight cancer for a longer time.
The study, published in Frontiers in Immunology, found that temporarily activating a protein called p53 helped immune cells develop better cancer-fighting abilities. The treated cells had more energy, showed fewer signs of exhaustion and were more effective at killing melanoma cells in laboratory tests.
In this research, the UCLA team studied p53, a protein that helps prevent cancer by stopping damaged cells from growing uncontrollably, which is often called the 'guardian of the genome'.
For the experiment, scientists collected human T cells and treated them with navtemadlin, an investigational drug that blocks a protein called MDM2, which normally controls p53 activity. Blocking MDM2 allows p53 activity to increase.
The team compared treated and untreated immune cells to study differences in their development, energy levels and ability to attack cancer cells.
Researchers also genetically modified the T cells to recognize a protein found on certain melanoma cells. They then tested the cells against cancer cells in the laboratory and monitored their activity for nearly seven days.
The results showed that T cells exposed to navtemadlin were more likely to develop into central memory T cells. These cells can survive for longer, multiply and respond quickly when they encounter their target again.
The treated cells also showed fewer signs of exhaustion, suggesting they could maintain their cancer-fighting abilities for a longer period.
Another important finding was that these cells had greater energy reserves. They were also more likely to produce two important proteins, interferon-gamma and granzyme B. These proteins help immune cells organize their attack and destroy cancer cells.
When tested against melanoma cells, the treated T cells were significantly better at killing cancer cells than untreated cells.
However, researchers found that the drug's dosage played an important role. Lower doses helped produce healthy memory T cells without significantly reducing the number of surviving cells. Higher doses, on the other hand, caused more immune cells to die.
The findings suggest that temporarily activating p53 during the preparation of immune cells could offer a simple way to improve existing cancer immunotherapies. If further studies confirm these results, the approach could help produce immune cells that survive longer and remain more effective at fighting cancer.
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