A glioblastoma is a fast-growing type of brain tumour and the most common malignant brain tumour in adults. It’s considered to be one of the deadliest types of cancer as it responds poorly to immunotherapy.
Dr Felipe Galvez-Cancino, Kidani Fellow and Group Leader at NDM’s Centre for Immuno-Oncology, co-lead a study on the impact of regulatory T cell (Treg) depletion on the progression of glioblastoma and immunotherapy responsiveness.
The research found that Treg depletion suppressed tumour growth in preclinical models and in human tissues. In order to mediate Treg depletion, depleting antibodies are dependent on tumour-infiltrating macrophages that are specialised in antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis. This means that after administering depleting antibodies to mice with glioblastomas, specific macrophages mediated the elimination of the target regulatory CD4+ T cells.
Ultimately, the data supported a negative role for Treg cells in glioblastoma and offers preclinical evidence that these cells could be eliminated with antibodies like anti-CD25. By identifying these mechanisms and gaining a better understanding of them, this research has uncovered a new therapeutic target for the treatment of glioblastoma, which opens the door to the development of novel therapies for this particular type of cancer.
If you’re interested in finding out more about this study, read the full paper on the Immunity Journal website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1074761325001621?via%3Dihub