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Natural killer cells, Aussie cancer discovery

heapsreal

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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...-tricks-the-body/story-fn3dxiwe-1226862806111

Australian scientists believe they have discovered how cancer cells hoodwink the body's immune system into thinking they are harmless.

This could lead to new treatments for aggressive advanced cancer and other diseases, says lead investigator Professor Mark Smyth.

The crux of the discovery is an improved understanding of how protective white blood cells, known as natural killer cells, discriminate between harmless cells and disease.

"It tells us something that we did not know before. It also has implications for viruses," says Prof Smyth, of the QIMR Berghofer Research Institute in Queensland.

"Essentially it shows how cancer hijacks the system of immune recognition and activation, allowing the cancer to spread through the body.

"I'm very excited. I have spent a large part of my career trying to convince people the immune system reacts against cancer."

He adds: "Our work is an important but small part of a big picture.

"Immunotherapy has revolutionised cancer treatment. Some people are walking away from treatment disease free."

At the centre of Prof Smyth's discovery is a protein known as CD96, which is found on disease-fighting white blood cells but which was not previously understood.

Its function is to prevent killer cells from attacking normal, healthy tissue.

However, Prof Smyth has discovered cancer cells express a molecule, recognised by CD96, that blocks the killer cells from reacting.

So far the team has proved the theory in laboratory experiments. The next step is to test it on human cells.

If that works it makes sense to develop an antibody to block human CD96, says Prof Smyth, whose discovery is published in the journal Nature Immunology.

"If all goes to plan we can take the next steps towards human trials."

QIMR Berghofer director Professor Frank Gannon is delighted by the progress, which he says is the result of many years of work.

"With immunotherapy we are on the cusp of a whole new way of treating cancer. And QIMR Berghofer is a world leader in this.

"It's the most exciting thing I have seen in the past 20 years."

Human trials are possible within five years, Professor Gannon says.

"Patients will benefit hugely from the insights in this study.

"It is a fairly direct route from the laboratory to the clinic."
 

heapsreal

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I wonder if this research will benefit us or maybe cfs/me research has benefited them. Sonya Marshall from Griffith university on the gold coast who has posted several research papers on nk function in cfs/me is only just down the road abit from these researchers. I just wonder if they talk or have read each others work, i wonder??
 

alex3619

Senior Member
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Logan, Queensland, Australia
This is interesting but the thing they will need to watch for in the future is that an anti-CD96 antibody might well induce a full immune attack on the whole body if the NK cells cannot then properly recognize our own cells. Caution is required.
 

Aileen

Senior Member
Messages
615
Location
Canada
At the centre of Prof Smyth's discovery is a protein known as CD96, which is found on disease-fighting white blood cells but which was not previously understood.

Its function is to prevent killer cells from attacking normal, healthy tissue.

However, Prof Smyth has discovered cancer cells express a molecule, recognised by CD96, that blocks the killer cells from reacting.

So far the team has proved the theory in laboratory experiments. The next step is to test it on human cells.

If that works it makes sense to develop an antibody to block human CD96, says Prof Smyth, whose discovery is published in the journal Nature Immunology.
If the cancer cell expresses "a molecule" that the CD96 recognizes, why block CD96? Why would you not focus on the molecule instead? Figure out how to change the molecule slightly to stop the CD96 from recognizing it. Or, develop a drug that targets the specific molecule. That way you don't screw up everything the CD96 is supposed to be doing. :cautious:
 

heapsreal

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I think its a good sign that natural killer cells are even being researched as there is very little known about them as theres always been more interested in b cells and t cells. I hope this type of research spurs on more research into nk cells and hopefully some answers for us.

If cfs/me researchers find a cure for cfs/me through studying nk cells as well as a cure for cancer, then i would like to see a big, in your face sir wessely!! Generally whenever anything about nk or t cells gets mentioned with cfs/me he just palms it off as nothing.

The answers are not far and i think research will open doors for other illnesses too, just hurry up please;)
 

Snow Leopard

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People have been doing this sort of research for years (immune system involvement in controlling cancer), in fact it was quite popular in the 1960s for example. It has been less popular in recent years due to lack of translation of findings, but I'm hoping findings like this turn out to be useful, leading to less harmful cancer treatments.
 

heapsreal

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People have been doing this sort of research for years (immune system involvement in controlling cancer), in fact it was quite popular in the 1960s for example. It has been less popular in recent years due to lack of translation of findings, but I'm hoping findings like this turn out to be useful, leading to less harmful cancer treatments.

I thought the research was more into b and t cells, not so much nk cells? I guess with chemo not being 100% they are looking into alternatives such as immune function.

I guess as technology improves past research needs to be revisited.
 

Tiger Lily 813

Senior Member
Messages
173
Hi, thanks for sharing this!! Does anyone know what to take to increase NK cells? I have been taking fucoidan and am thinking after that bottle is done that I might start supplementing iodine (carefully). What else increases NK cells?
 

heapsreal

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Immunosuppressive. iger Lily 813, post: 446424, member: 13711"]Hi, thanks for sharing this!! Does anyone know what to take to increase NK cells? I have been taking fucoidan and am thinking after that bottle is done that I might start supplementing iodine (carefully). What else increases NK cells?[/quote]


Immunovir. Cycloferon. Interferon.
 
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