immunotherapy Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Adding Immunotherapy to Chemotherapy After Surgery Improves Survival in Colon Cancer

The AHA! Team — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 05:43:16 +0000

Mayo Clinic via News-Medical – Colon cancer is the third most prevalent form of cancer in the U.S., and while screening has helped detect and prevent colon cancer from spreading, major advancements in treating colon cancer have lagged. Now, new research led by Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center found that adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy after surgery for patients with stage 3 (node-positive) colon cancer – and with a specific genetic makeup called deficient DNA mismatch repair (dMMR) – was associated with a 50% reduction in cancer recurrence and death compared to chemotherapy alone. Approximately 15% of people diagnosed with colon cancer exhibit dMMR and, to date, these tumors appear less sensitive to chemotherapy. The results of the multi-center study were presented during a plenary session at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago. “The findings from our study represent a major advance in the adjuvant treatment of dMMR stage 3 colon cancer and will now change the treatment for this type of cancer,” says oncologist Frank Sinicrope, M.D., who led the study. “It’s extremely rewarding to be able to offer our patients a new treatment regimen that can reduce the risk of recurrence and improve their chances of survival.” Until now, the standard treatment after surgery for any stage 3 colon cancer has been chemotherapy. However, the researchers note that approximately 30% of patients experience cancer recurrence despite this treatment. The clinical trial enrolled 712 patients with dMMR stage 3 colon cancer that had been surgically removed and who had cancer cells in their lymph nodes. The immunotherapy given in this study was an immune checkpoint inhibitor, known as atezolizumab, which activates one’s immune system to attack and kill cancer cells, which are responsible for cancer recurrence and spread. The patients – who lived in the U.S. and Germany – received chemotherapy for six months along with immunotherapy and then continued with immunotherapy alone for another six months. Dr. Sinicrope and others previously studied patients with colon cancer whose cells are unable to repair errors during DNA replication that create a nucleotide mismatch, a condition called dMMR. They noted that these patients’ tumors showed a striking increase in inflammatory cells within the tumor, including those that express the target of immune checkpoint inhibitors. This sparked the idea of using immune checkpoint inhibitors to make the immune cells more effective in attacking and killing the cancer cells. Based on the data from this study, Dr. Sinicrope recommends this combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy treatment to be the new standard treatment for stage 3 deficient mismatch repair colon cancer. The research team plans to approach the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a nonprofit organization consisting of 33 leading cancer centers, including Mayo Clinic, with this recommendation. The study included patients with Lynch syndrome, the most common form of hereditary colon cancer, as these patients can have tumors that show deficient mismatch repair (dMMR). We’re changing the paradigm in colon cancer treatment. By using immunotherapy at earlier stages of disease, we are achieving meaningful benefits for our patients.” -Frank Sinicrope, M.D., Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center Source: Mayo Clinic To read the original article click here.

The post Adding Immunotherapy to Chemotherapy After Surgery Improves Survival in Colon Cancer appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

UC Researchers Engineer New Probiotic to Target and Break Down Cancer Cell Defenses

AHA Publisher — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 08:00:36 +0000

University of Cincinnati via News-Medical – Bacteria generally have a bad reputation, as people first think of certain strains that can cause serious illnesses like pneumonia or meningitis. However, there are many helpful bacteria, known as probiotics, that assist the body in different ways. University of Cincinnati researchers have now engineered a probiotic designed to target and break down cancer cell defenses, giving therapies an easier way inside to kill tumors. The findings were recently published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials. Nalinikanth Kotagiri, PhD, the senior author of this study, an assistant professor in UC’s James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy and a UC Cancer Center member, studies “solid cancers” or those defined as abnormal cellular growths in “solid” organs such as the breast or prostate, as opposed to leukemia, a cancer affecting the blood. Kotagiri explains many solid cancers have an extracellular matrix made up of collagen and hyaluronic acid. The matrix forms a barrier around the cells and makes it harder for antibodies and immune cells to reach the tumors. Shindu Thomas, the first author of this study and a graduate student in the Kotagiri lab, worked with E. coli Nissle, a bacteria that has been used as a probiotic for around 100 years and is different from E. coli strains that cause sickness. Through new technology, any protein or enzyme can be manufactured on the E. coli Nissle bacteria. In this case, the bacteria was engineered to secrete an abundance of smaller structures called outer membrane vesicles on the outer edge of cells. The vesicles carry the same materials present on the bacteria itself, so researchers designed the bacteria to carry an enzyme that breaks down cancers’ extracellular matrix. Kotagiri said bacteria tend to thrive in low-oxygen and immunodeficient environments, two characteristics found in solid cancers. Because of this, the specially designed bacteria are naturally drawn to these cancers. “We took advantage of this unique feature of E.coli Nissle to home and localize into these tumors. And then once bacteria are lodged there, they start making nanoscale vesicles which carry the enzyme much deeper into the tumor matrix.” Nalinikanth Kotagiri, PhD, senior author of the study After creating the new probiotic, researchers studied the bacteria’s effect on animal models of breast and colon cancer. The bacteria is delivered intravenously about four or five days prior to the cancer treatment, allowing the bacteria time to populate and break down the cancer’s defenses and prepare it to take to the treatment. After administering the bacteria and then subsequent doses of either immunotherapy or another pharmaceutical, drugs used in targeted therapy, Kotagiri said mice survived twice as long compared to those given the cancer therapy alone. Imaging showed the bacteria and enzyme were effective at breaking down the extracellular matrix and allowing the therapy to reach the cancer cells. The study found the bacteria affected the tumors but was not attacking healthy cells in other organs like the heart, lungs, liver and brain. Kotagiri said this shows the bacteria can be safe and will not cause infection in other parts of the body, but more research needs to be done to examine its safety in large animal models and potentially humans, particularly in immunodeficient environments. “This always comes with a word of caution as to how you can utilize this strategy without causing any sepsis or any overt infections in the body,” he said. Kotagiri said his lab began to look more closely at how bacterial probiotics can address biomedical problems around 2018, as there are about one to two times as many bacterial cells than human cells in your body at any given time. “There’s bacteria in the gut, on the skin, inside your lungs, inside your mouth, even inside tumors,” Kotagiri said. “So why not take advantage of that and find interesting ways to make them a bit more proactive?” If the engineered bacteria continues to prove itself safe and effective, Kotagiri said there are a wide variety of ways to engineer the bacteria for different uses, including potentially using the bacteria to treat disease conditions in the gut, mouth and skin. There is also potential to engineer the bacteria armed with multiple proteins and molecules to make a monotherapy platform (or therapy that uses one type of treatment) rather than just facilitating combination therapy, he said. “So the bacteria can essentially serve as a mothership that would carry the necessary therapeutic payload to unique niches in the body and from there it’s a self-sustaining entity,” Kotagiri said. “While the possibilities are endless there are also significant challenges. We have to be good stewards of making that kind of evidence possible for the community to understand what are the limits and what can be done.” To read the original article click here.

The post UC Researchers Engineer New Probiotic to Target and Break Down Cancer Cell Defenses appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Benefits of Honey and Cinnamon: Are 2 Superfoods Better Than 1?

AHA Publisher — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 07:00:02 +0000

Christine Ruggeri, CHHC via Dr. Axe – Honey and cinnamon have been used since ancient times to support human health and wellness. Honey has a rich history dating back to ancient Greek, Roman, Vedic and Egyptian texts, while cinnamon has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic folk medicine for over 2,000 years. We know that, individually, both cinnamon and honey possess powerful therapeutic properties. What about when you use them together? If one is good by itself, does that mean that the two combined can be even more beneficial? Here’s what you need to know about the combination of honey and cinnamon. Benefits of Cinnamon 1. Rich in Antioxidants A major benefit of cinnamon is its antioxidant content. This helps reduce free radical damage and slow the aging process. Researchers have identified at least 41 different compounds in cinnamon with health-promoting capabilities. 2. Has Antimicrobial Properties Because cinnamon has antimicrobial properties, it can be used to optimize oral hygiene, fight infections and support skin health. Research suggests that it helps improve bad breath and tooth decay, ease respiratory issues like the common cold and sore throat, and soothe skin irritation, redness and swelling. 3. Relieves Inflammation The flavonoids in cinnamon have been proven to help alleviate inflammation, reduce swelling, ease muscle soreness and lessen the severity of allergic reactions. 4. Protects Heart Health Research shows that cinnamon may reduce several of the most common risk factors for heart disease, including high cholesterol levels, high triglyceride levels and high blood pressure. It may be a helpful blood coagulant that helps the body form blood clots and promotes circulation. 5. Stabilizes Blood Sugar Studies indicate that cinnamon has anti-diabetic effects and can lower blood sugar levels and improve sensitivity to the hormone insulin. This is what makes it one of the best foods for diabetics. 6. Supports Brain Function Antioxidants in cinnamon have been found to help defend against the development of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Benefits of Honey 1. Helps Fight Allergies The bee pollen in honey helps boost immunity and can improve allergy symptoms with a concept called immunotherapy. Studies indicate that consuming local pollen reduces a person’s sensitivity over time, thereby reducing allergy symptoms. 2. Provides Antioxidants A daily dose of honey provides health-promoting antioxidants that help block free radicals in the body and prevent a number of diseases. Research shows that consuming honey increases levels of disease-fighting polyphenols in the blood and other antioxidants that support enzyme activity. 3. Supports Sleep Honey helps promote restorative sleep. It helps restock the liver’s glycogen supply and prevents the brain from searching for fuel, which can keep you up at night. Eating honey also promotes the release of melatonin in the brain by stimulating the release tryptophan. 4. Relieves Cough Research suggests that a single dose of honey can reduce mucus secretion and coughs. One study found that honey was just as effective as diphenhydramine and dextromethorphan, two ingredients that are commonly used in over-the-counter cough medicines. 5. Aids Wound Healing Studies show that honey is an antibacterial agent that aids wound healing and creates an inhospitable environment for bacteria. It can be used for the treatment of wounds, burns and skin ulcers. How Honey and Cinnamon Work Together Honey and cinnamon both possess powerful antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This is why they’ve been used in ancient medicine to relieve a slew of health conditions. The reasons these two superfoods create such a powerful effect on the body vary but generally center on their ability to control inflammation, combat free radicals and boost immune function. When used together, cinnamon powder and honey offer a range health benefits, improving cholesterol and immune system health, while aiding weight loss and fighting heart disease. The compounds found in both foods come together to have the best effects, making them a perfect addition to tea, recipes or even a glass of water. Here’s a rundown of their combined health benefits for weight, heart health and more: 1. Combat Allergies Cinnamon and honey both help fight allergies and allergy symptoms. A perfect example of how cinnamon can help with allergies can be seen in a study that evaluated its ability to control the powerful allergen house mites. This allergen has become a global problem, and researchers from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment found that at least 45 percent of young people with asthma are allergic to house dust mites. Researchers from Egypt tested the effect that various essential oils had in killing the highly allergic house mite and found that cinnamon was the most potent agent. This is due to cinnamon’s component cinnamaldehyde. Note: Cinnamon oil is toxic to cats and shouldn’t be used in cat households. Honey also serves as a natural therapeutic agent for fighting allergies. Ingesting just a teaspoon of local raw honey every day can boost your immune system and fight allergies by helping build a tolerance to local pollen. The International Archives of Allergy and Immunology published an article that analyzed this theory and discovered that preseasonal use of birch pollen honey helped people with birch pollen allergies by lowering total symptoms by 60 percent. Those treated with honey experienced twice as many asymptomatic days, had 70 percent fewer days with severe symptoms and used 50 percent less antihistamines compared to the group that took conventional medications for allergies. 2. Improve Diabetes Symptoms Cinnamon and honey together can be beneficial for healthy blood sugar management. Research published in the journal Nutrition Research suggests that up to 1,500 milligrams of cinnamon supplementation benefits the lipid profile, liver enzymes, insulin resistance and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in diabetics and people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients. According to a study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, honey has been observed to cause a lower elevation of plasma glucose levels in diabetics compared to dextrose and sucrose. Some suggest that the insulin-boosting power of cinnamon can counteract this glucose elevation in honey, which would make your honey and cinnamon mixture a low glycemic indexfood. 3. Fight Acne and Skin Infections Because of the combination’s antimicrobial capacity, cinnamon oil mixed with honey is used all over the world to treat skin conditions, such as acne and skin issues. Researchers from Iran even discovered that the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of honey are actually more potent in treating wounds and burns and result in less skin problems than conventional medicine. A 2017 study published in Phytotherapy Research found that cinnamon essential oil significantly inhibited the production of several inflammatory biomarkers that are involved in skin inflammation and tissue remodeling. It works as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that can help soothe some skin conditions and improve the immune response. 4. Relieve Common Cold and Other Respiratory Issues The cinnamon-honey combination helps relieve common cold and respiratory symptoms, like sore throat, by fighting infections, boosting immunity and providing antioxidants. In a study published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, cinnamon essential oil was found to be highly effective in slowing the growth of a number of bacteria and fungi. The study showed that cinnamon oil inhibits the growth of E. coli, candida and staph aureus — all microorganisms that can cause a number of diseases, including the common cold. Research shows that honey is better than no treatment in reducing the frequency of cough and may even be more effective than diphenhydramine, an antihistamine. Plus, there’s evidence that honey is loaded with protective antioxidants that help fight respiratory conditions and many other health issues. Regularly combining cinnamon’s antimicrobial properties with immune-boosting raw honey boosts the body’s immunity and ability to fight off respiratory infections like the common cold. If you happen to get some kind of respiratory condition, consuming cinnamon and honey may help shorten your recovery time. 5. Fight UTIs Cinnamomum zeylanicum works as a powerful antibacterial agent, and research shows that it effectively inhibits the growth of gram-negative bacteria like E. coli, the main cause of urinary tract infections. A lab study conducted in Algeria found that when honey was tested against 11 multi-drug-resistant bacterial strains that were isolated from urinary tract infections of pregnant women, it exhibited potent antibacterial activity. Ingesting a combination of cinnamon powder and honey not only helps destroy the bacteria within the urinary tract, but it may also inhibit the growth of germs living in the bladder, thereby working as a potential preventative measure against bladder infections. 6. Soothe Digestive Issues Honey and cinnamon have become quite popular in managing digestive issues, such as constipation, nausea and ulcers. This makes sense, as these superfoods have been used as natural remedies for digestive ailments by our ancestors. Honey has proved to be a predigested nectar, so it is easy for the body to break it down. That can soothe an aggravated system. Cinnamon has antimicrobial characteristics that have helped countless people with bacterial overload in their digestive systems. This is especially true for people suffering from an E. coli infection, like a UTI. 7. Boost Energy Cinnamon and honey feature beneficial compounds that help boost energy. Chinese folk medicine has used cinnamon to promote healthy energy flow for centuries, and because of its insulin-boosting property, cinnamon has been known to give people energy as it stabilizes your blood sugar and improves insulin action in the brain. Honey is packed with micronutrients and antioxidants that help boost energy levels, fight inflammation and reduce signs of aging. When you take a teaspoon mixture of the two, you get a low-glycemic boost to help fuel your body, whether you just need a pick-me-up or you’re trying to get through a workout. 8. Treat Gingivitis The past few years, several studies have come out showing that Manuka honey can help treat gingivitis and periodontal disease. Due to its superior antimicrobial properties, researchers from the School of Dentistry at the University of Otago in New Zealand discovered that chewing or sucking on a Manuka honey product not only caused a 35 percent decrease in plaque, but it led to a 35 percent reduction in bleeding sites in people suffering from gingivitis. When combined with the powerful antimicrobial cinnamon, regular use of the amazing mixture can do wonders to your choppers. Honey and cinnamon benefits are proving to be a winning combination when it comes to dental health. How to Use One of the easiest ways to use honey and cinnamon to boost your health is to simply combine a half teaspoon of powdered cinnamon with a teaspoon of organic raw honey and ingest the mixture once daily. You can add this combination to water or use it to make an energizing and immune-boosting drink. This secret detox drink, for example, is also made with cinnamon and honey, along with other detoxifying ingredients like apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Of course, there are many other ways to use cinnamon and honey in your cooking and add it to your diet. They can be added to your smoothie, used to make herbal tea and added to your homemade baked goods. This delicious gluten-free coffee cake is made with both cinnamon and honey. You can also apply cinnamon powder (or one to two drops of cinnamon oil) and honey to your skin to fight acne and skin issues. Simply create a paste by combining the two ingredients. Then apply it onto the area of concern before bed so it can sit for several hours. However, before using honey and cinnamon topically, do a patch test to make sure that your skin won’t have any adverse reactions. Risks and Side Effects Cinnamon and honey are safe for internal and topical use, but like all foods, some people may react adversely. If you experience skin irritation, stomach pain, sweating, diarrhea or nausea after using cinnamon or honey, stop taking right away. If you use cinnamon essential oil, remember that a small amount (one to two drops) goes a long way. Perform a patch test on your skin before...

The post Benefits of Honey and Cinnamon: Are 2 Superfoods Better Than 1? appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Groundbreaking Study Optimizes Patient’s Own Immune System to Fight Tumors

AHA Publisher — Mon, 17 May 2021 07:26:30 +0000

University of Minnesota via News-Medical – A groundbreaking study led by engineering and medical researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities shows how engineered immune cells used in new cancer therapies can overcome physical barriers to allow a patient’s own immune system to fight tumors. The research could improve cancer therapies in the future for millions of people worldwide. The research is published in Nature Communications, a peer-reviewed, open access, scientific journal published by Nature Research. Instead of using chemicals or radiation, immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that helps the patient’s immune system fight cancer. T cells are a type of white blood cell that are of key importance to the immune system. Cytotoxic T cells are like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invader cells. While there has been success in using immunotherapy for some types of cancer in the blood or blood-producing organs, a T cell’s job is much more difficult in solid tumors. “The tumor is sort of like an obstacle course, and the T cell has to run the gauntlet to reach the cancer cells. These T cells get into tumors, but they just can’t move around well, and they can’t go where they need to go before they run out of gas and are exhausted.” Paolo Provenzano, senior author of the study and biomedical engineering associate professor in the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering In this first-of-its-kind study, the researchers are working to engineer the T cells and develop engineering design criteria to mechanically optimize the cells or make them more “fit” to overcome the barriers. If these immune cells can recognize and get to the cancer cells, then they can destroy the tumor. In a fibrous mass of a tumor, the stiffness of the tumor causes immune cells to slow down about two-fold–almost like they are running in quicksand. “This study is our first publication where we have identified some structural and signaling elements where we can tune these T cells to make them more effective cancer fighters,” said Provenzano, a researcher in the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center. “Every ‘obstacle course’ within a tumor is slightly different, but there are some similarities. After engineering these immune cells, we found that they moved through the tumor almost twice as fast no matter what obstacles were in their way.” To engineer cytotoxic T cells, the authors used advanced gene editing technologies (also called genome editing) to change the DNA of the T cells so they are better able to overcome the tumor’s barriers. The ultimate goal is to slow down the cancer cells and speed up the engineered immune cells. The researchers are working to create cells that are good at overcoming different kinds of barriers. When these cells are mixed together, the goal is for groups of immune cells to overcome all the different types of barriers to reach the cancer cells. Provenzano said the next steps are to continue studying the mechanical properties of the cells to better understand how the immune cells and cancer cells interact. The researchers are currently studying engineered immune cells in rodents and in the future are planning clinical trials in humans. While initial research has been focused on pancreatic cancer, Provenzano said the techniques they are developing could be used on many types of cancers. “Using a cell engineering approach to fight cancer is a relatively new field,” Provenzano said. “It allows for a very personalized approach with applications for a wide array of cancers. We feel we are expanding a new line of research to look at how our own bodies can fight cancer. This could have a big impact in the future.” In addition to Provenzano, the study’s authors included current and former University of Minnesota Department of Biomedical Engineering researchers Erdem D. Tabdanov (co-author), Nelson J. Rodríguez-Merced (co-author), Vikram V. Puram, Mackenzie K. Callaway, and Ethan A. Ensminger; University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center and Medical School Department of Pediatrics researchers Emily J. Pomeroy, Kenta Yamamoto, Walker S. Lahr, Beau R. Webber, Branden S. Moriarity; National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering researcher Alexander X. Cartagena-Rivera; and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute researcher Alexander S. Zhovmer, who is now at the Center for Biologic Evaluation and Research. The research was funded primarily by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and University of Minnesota Physical Sciences in Oncology Center, which receives funding from NIH’s National Cancer Institute. Additional funding was provided by the American Cancer Society and the Randy Shaver Research and Community Fund. The University of Minnesota Imaging Center provided additional staff expertise. Some of the researchers also are part of the University of Minnesota Center for Genome Engineering and the University’s Institute for Engineering in Medicine. To read the original article click here.

The post Groundbreaking Study Optimizes Patient’s Own Immune System to Fight Tumors appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Gut Bacteria Can Penetrate Tumors and Aid Cancer Therapy, Study Suggests

AHA Publisher — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 07:00:08 +0000

The Rockefeller University Press via Newswise – Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and University of Chicago have discovered that bacteria that usually live in the gut can accumulate in tumors and improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy in mice. Newswise — The study, which will be published March 6 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), suggests that treating cancer patients with Bifidobacteria might boost their response to CD47 immunotherapy, a wide-ranging anti-cancer treatment that is currently being evaluated in several clinical trials. CD47 is a protein expressed on the surface of many cancer cells, and inhibiting this protein can allow the patient’s immune system to attack and destroy the tumor. Antibodies targeting CD47 are currently being tested as treatments for a wide variety of cancers in multiple clinical trials. But studies with laboratory mice have so far yielded mixed results: some mice seem to respond to anti-CD47 treatment, while others do not. A team of researchers led by Yang-Xin Fu at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Ralph R. Weichselbaum, co-director of The Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research at the University of Chicago, found that the response to treatment depends on the type of bacteria living in the animals’ guts. Tumor-bearing mice that normally respond to anti-CD47 treatment failed to respond if their gut bacteria were killed off by a cocktail of antibiotics. In contrast, anti-CD47 treatment became effective in mice that are usually non-responsive when these animals were supplemented with Bifidobacteria, a type of bacteria that is often found in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy mice and humans. Bifidobacteria have previously been shown to benefit patients with ulcerative colitis. Surprisingly, however, the researchers found that Bifidobacteria do not just accumulate in the gut; they also migrate into tumors, where they appear to activate an immune signaling pathway called the stimulation of interferon genes (STING) pathway. This results in the production of further immune signaling molecules and the activation of immune cells. When combined with anti-CD47 treatment, these activated immune cells can attack and destroy the surrounding tumor. “Our study demonstrates that a specific member of the gut microbial population enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of anti-CD47 by colonizing the tumor,” Fu says. “Administration of specific bacterial species or their engineered progenies may be a novel and effective strategy to modulate various anti-tumor immunotherapies.” “Our results open a new avenue for clinical investigations into the effects of bacteria within tumors and may help explain why some cancer patients fail to respond to immunotherapy,” says Weichselbaum. This article has been modified. To read the original article click here.

The post Gut Bacteria Can Penetrate Tumors and Aid Cancer Therapy, Study Suggests appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Could Cancer Immunotherapy Success Depend on Gut Bacteria?

AHA Publisher — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 07:00:38 +0000

UT Southwestern Medical Center via EurekAlert- Could the response to cancer immunotherapy depend on bacteria that originate in the gut and travel to the tumor? DALLAS – March 6, 2020 – A study by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and the University of Chicago suggests exactly that, revealing that gut bacteria can penetrate tumor cells and boost the effectiveness of an experimental immunotherapy that targets the CD47 protein. Using mouse models of malignancy, the scientists found that the intestinal microbe Bifidobacterium accumulates within tumors, transforming anti-CD47 unresponsive tumors into responsive ones. The team’s study, published today in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, discovered that the response to treatment depends on the type of bacteria living in the animals’ guts. They then identified the mechanism, finding that the combination of antibodies against CD47 and gut bacteria works via the body’s STING pathway of innate immunity – the body’s first line of defense against infection. Their experiments used mice from different resource facilities, antibiotic-fed mice, and mice raised in a germ-free environment. In one experiment, they studied mice raised in two different facilities and that had distinct mixtures of bacteria in their intestines. One group was responsive to anti-CD47 and another was not. The second group became responsive, however, after being housed with the responders, indicating that oral transfer or contact transmission of gut bacteria occurred between groups, the researchers say. The protein CD47 is expressed in high levels on the surface of many cancer cells, where it acts as a “don’t eat me” signal to the immune system’s macrophages, commonly known as white blood cells. As a result, anti-CD47, also known as CD47 blockade therapy, is currently under investigation in multiple clinical trials. However, the mouse studies that predated those trials had mixed results, with only some mice responding to the anti-CD47 therapy, explains corresponding author Yang-Xin Fu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pathology, immunology, and radiation at UT Southwestern. “We felt we needed to improve anti-CD47 therapy and understand the mechanisms,” he says, leading them to wonder about the gut microbiome, the bacteria that grow in the intestines and aid with digestion. That bacterial ecosystem, sometimes called the microbiota, is also known to affect the gut’s ability to resist pathogens and the host’s response to cancer immunotherapy. “But how the microbiota does that has been unclear,” Fu says. “This study finds that some of the bacteria from the gut travel to the tumor and get into the cells, or microenvironment, where the bacteria facilitate CD47 blockade’s ability to attack the tumor. We found it does that via the immune signaling pathway called stimulator of interferon genes (STING).” The findings suggest that a probiotic might someday be used to improve anti-CD47 therapy, says Fu, a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute (CPRIT) Scholar and holder of the Mary Nell and Ralph B. Rogers Professorship in Immunology at UT Southwestern. The researchers also found that tumor-bearing mice that normally respond to anti-CD47 treatment failed to respond if their gut bacteria were killed off by antibiotics. In contrast, anti-CD47 treatment became effective in mice that are usually nonresponsive when these animals were supplemented with Bifidobacteria, a type of bacteria that is often found in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy mice and humans. They further discovered that the bacteria migrate into tumors, activating the STING immune signaling pathway. This sets off production of immune signaling molecules such as type 1 interferons and activating immune cells that appear to attack and destroy the tumor once the anti-CD47 agent nullifies the CD47’s “don’t eat me” tag, the researchers report. The researchers found that mice genetically unable to activate type 1 interferon failed to respond to the bacteria-immunotherapy approach. Similarly, mice unable to access the STING pathway showed no benefit from the combined bacteria-immunotherapy approach, confirming that STING signaling is essential. “It is very possible that more than one type of gut microbiota could enhance tumor immunity in a similar way and we would like to investigate that,” he adds. This article has been modified. To read the original article click here.

The post Could Cancer Immunotherapy Success Depend on Gut Bacteria? appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Scientists Breach Brain Barriers to Attack Tumors

AHA Publisher — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 05:38:18 +0000

Yale University via Science Daily – The brain is equipped with barriers designed to keep out dangerous pathogens. Researchers have now found a novel way to circumvent the brain’s natural defenses when they’re counterproductive. To read the original article click here.

The post Scientists Breach Brain Barriers to Attack Tumors appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Why Immunotherapy fails 60% of Metastatic Melanoma Patients

AHA Publisher — Sun, 29 Sep 2019 07:00:04 +0000

Brian Blum via Israel21c – The ultimate goal is to improve personalized medicine. “Can we predict who will respond?” asks Markel. “Can we alter treatment in order to increase responses?” Immunotherapy has transformed the treatment of many cancers, turning them from incurable to manageable as a kind of chronic illness. But not metastatic melanoma. More than half of patients (some 60 percent) with the disease do not respond to immunotherapy treatments. Researchers at Tel Aviv University’s Sackler School of Medicine and Sheba Medical Center’s Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno-Oncology wanted to know why. The researchers reviewed the results of 116 melanoma patients treated with immunotherapy. Using a protein mapping technique called proteomics, the researchers discovered a difference in the metabolism, or energy production process, between melanoma patients for whom immunotherapy worked, and those whose cancer proved resistant. Prof. Tami Geiger, head of the Proteomics Lab at Tel Aviv University, explained that her team was able to map thousands of proteins using a mass spectrometer. “We then followed up with extensive computational analysis to identify the proteins that differentiated between the response groups,” Geiger said. The main distinction, according to Geiger: “In the responders, we found higher levels of proteins associated with lipid metabolism, which led to better recognition by the immune system.” Lipids are the building-block molecules of living cells; they are oxidized to create energy in the body in a process known as fatty acid metabolism. Patients whose cancer cells had a faster fatty acid metabolism responded to immunotherapy, while cancer cells that had a slower fatty acid metabolism were able to “hide” from the immune system’s T-cells that are supposed to destroy them. The research was done on mice in collaboration with the Salk Institute in San Diego and Yale School of Medicine. Using genetic engineering, the researchers “silenced” the mechanism responsible for fatty acid metabolism. “Cancer in these mice developed at a faster rate compared to the control group,” Geiger said. Predicting Who Will Respond Best The results could be significant – and not just for melanoma. “These findings can also be relevant to many other malignancies,” said Sheba Medical Center’s Prof. Gal Markel, who led the study with Geiger and Dr. Michal Harel. The ultimate goal is to improve personalized medicine. “Can we predict who will respond?” asks Markel. “Can we alter treatment in order to increase responses?” For the moment, the research will only indicate which patients should take the immunotherapy track and which patients should not because they will know in advance that treatment won’t help. In the future, if scientists can develop targeted medication to raise the levels of fatty acid metabolism, that may help make the 40% of unresponsive patients more receptive to immunotherapies. “In subsequent studies, we [will be] looking for ways to improve the response to immunotherapy and expand the circle of patients who benefit from it,” said Markel. Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. Although it accounts for only about one percent of skin cancers, it causes a large percentage of skin cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. Some 7,230 people are expected to die of melanoma in the United States this year. Melanoma is called metastatic when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. The results of the Tel Aviv team’s research were published in the September issue of the medical journal Cell. To read the original article click here.

The post Why Immunotherapy fails 60% of Metastatic Melanoma Patients appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.