2023-10-25 15:08:41
In 2023, it is estimated that more than 433,136 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in France, according to figures from the ARC Foundation. Approximately 157,400 cancer deaths occurred in the country in 2018. In the United States, researchers at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center discovered that a part of a molecule – called an epitope – was capable of activating the programmed death of certain cancer cells. Their findings were published October 14 in the journal Cell Death & Differentiation .
“CD95 receptors, also called Fas, are called death receptors. These protein receptors reside on cell membranes. When activated, they release a signal that causes cells to self-destruct“, details the press release. CD95 receptors, also called Fas receptors, are located on the outside of cancer cell membranes.
“We found the most critical epitope for cytotoxic Fas signaling, as well as anti-tumor function of CAR T cells“, explained Jogender Tushir-Singh, associate professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and lead author of the study. Before completing: “Previous efforts to target this receptor have failed. But now that we have identified this epitope, there could be a therapeutic avenue to target Fas in tumors“.
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Programmed cell death
As the press release summarizes, these “death receptors“do exactly what their name implies. Once targeted, “they trigger programmed cell death of tumor cells. Developing drugs that stimulate death receptor activity could provide an important weapon against tumors“.
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“We should know a patient’s Fas status, particularly mutations around the discovered epitope, before even considering administering CAR T“, assures Jogender Tushir-Singh. Before completing: “This paves the way for the development of antibodies that activate Fas, selectively kill tumor cells, and potentially support CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors“.
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