Monash University: Scientists discover how body's killer cells attack cancer

Researchers found that the XPO1 protein is essential for normal cell function, and in the case of various types of cancers, it becomes overactive.

An international team of researchers which comprises Professors from Monash University, and a professor from the University of Southampton in the UK have discovered how the body's immune system reacts to cancer cells.

As per the statement of Monash University, the scientists are on the verge of a cancer breakthrough.

Scientists have found that the killer cells of the immune system recognize and attack a protein that drives cancer growth. This killer cell hijacks the XPO1 protein and activates more immune system cells. The study was led by the University of Southampton's Professor of Hepatology Salim Khakoo and co-authored by Professor Anthony Purcell and Professor Ralf Schittenhelm from the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute in Australia. The findings are significant as they can pave the way for new and less invasive cancer treatments.

“We hope it could lead to personalised cancer treatment, especially in cases where traditional therapies have failed. The potential to develop targeted therapies that utilise the body's own immune system is incredibly exciting," Professor Schittenhelm said.

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"Our findings actually show how our body’s immune system recognises and attacks these cancer cells,” Professor Khakoo said. Killer cells are an emerging form of immunotherapy that show huge promise. They don’t attack healthy tissue in the way chemotherapy and other immunotherapies do, so are safer and have less side-effects than traditional forms of cancer treatment,” said Professor Salim Khakoo.

The researchers said that a patient with high levels of XPO1 and active killer cells has better survival rates.

“This holds true for a range of cancers including those with higher rates of death such as liver cancer, which has an average survival rate of only 18 months. As well as liver cancer, natural killer cell treatment in the future could be used to treat head and neck cancers, endometrial, bladder or breast cancer,” added Professor Khakoo.

Professor Anthony Purcell said, “This finding builds on decades of antigen discovery research that incorporate state-of-the-art mass spectrometry instrumentation for the identification of novel immune targets. We wait with excitement to see how these targets progress to the clinic and benefit cancer patients.”

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