![Fight against cancer: the promises of immunotherapy](https://img.passeportsante.net/1000x526/2014-03-24/i47678-lutte-contre-le-cancer-les-promesses-de-l-immunotherapie.jpg)
September 09, 2013 – Used for several years in the treatment of certain cancers, in particular of the breast and of the skin, immunotherapy is a promising discipline. This is evidenced by the work of a research team from the Institut Pasteur and INSERM published in the journal Blood on August 26, 2013. Researchers have identified the group of cells of the immune system responsible for destroying tumor cells under immunotherapy: polynuclear neutrophils. This discovery could make it possible, after evaluation in humans, to glimpse more effective treatments against cancer.
Immunotherapy involves stimulating cells of the immune system to attack and destroy tumors.
Guardian of the integrity of the body, the immune system is represented by white blood cells, also called leukocytes. These blood cells protect the body from external aggressors (virus, bacteria, parasites) but also internal ones, such as infected or mutated cells (such as cancer cells). In order to grow undetected by this cleaning system, tumor cells must make themselves “invisible”. Immunotherapy involves educating cells for immunity so that they can see and kill tumor cells.
It is by studying an immunotherapeutic treatment on a type of breast cancer that the research team of Dr Pierre Bruhns, head of the Antibodies in Therapy and Pathology Laboratory (Institut Pasteur / Inserm unit 760), in collaboration with Pr Clifford A Lowell from the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California and two teams from the Institut Pasteur were interested in polynuclear neutrophils.
Polynuclear neutrophils are white blood cells responsible for destroying foreign or infected cells in the body. These are the most numerous white blood cells.
After having treated mice with tumors by immunotherapy, the scientists made the following observation: rodents with little or no neutrophils did not see their tumor mass decrease in size. This anti-tumor effect was however restored after injection of neutrophils from normal mice.
Everything suggests that the action of polynuclear neutrophils is necessary but also sufficient for the destruction of the tumor under the effect of therapy. Neutrophils, once activated by therapeutic antibodies, would be able to attack tumor cells. Observed on breast cancer tumor cells, these results were reproduced on a skin cancer model. Hence the importance of such a discovery in the treatment of several cancers.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. It killed more than 15 million people in 2012.
Marie-Aymeline Caron – PasseportSanté.net
Source: “Neutrophils mediate antibody-induced anti-tumors effects in mice” Blood, August 26, 2013 Marcello Albanesi, David A. Mancardi, Friederike Jönsson, Bruno Iannascoli, Laurence Fiette, James P. Di Santo, Clifford A. Lowell and Pierre Bruhns