Research group uncovers tumor-promoting cells

A team of researchers from the Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), which is affiliated with the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI: University of Italian Switzerland) and based in Bellinzona in the canton of Ticino, and the University of Padua in north-eastern Italy have made a “groundbreaking discovery”, further details of which can be found in a press release issued by USI. This could change attitudes towards ageing and immune cells, in addition to offering a potential new target for treatment in the case of prostate cancer.

The focus here is on immunosuppressive neutrophils, a subset of immune cells that causes immunosuppression, tumor growth and treatment resistance. Neutrophils make up around 50 to 70 percent of the myeloid-derived white blood cells circulating in the human bloodstream. They are primarily involved in the innate immunity of humans against invading pathogens.

Using the example of prostate cancer, the researchers have now identified a subgroup of neutrophils that remain in the vicinity of the tumor and are more immunosuppressive and tumor-promoting than the others. These are known as aged neutrophils.

“Our results represent a significant finding, shedding light on how cancer cells interact with the immune system at the molecular level”, comments Nicolò Bancaro, first author of the recently published study. “By targeting specific mechanisms of aging in the immune system with immune-senolytics, it may be possible to prevent or delay age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cancer”, explains Andrea Alimonti, one of the two lead investigators for this research project. He holds professorships at the IOR, the University of Padua and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH). mm