Immunotherapy: a new target found

André Veillette

Credit: IRCM

Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment by mobilizing the immune system to attack tumour cells. Major advances, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (notably against the PD-1 protein), have produced impressive results against certain types of cancer, including melanoma and kidney cancer.

These treatments “take the brakes off” the immune system, increasing its ability to detect and destroy cancer cells. However, despite their effectiveness, these treatments do not work for all patients or all types of cancer. This realization has prompted researchers around the world to search for new therapeutic targets.

Now comes work carried out in the laboratory of Université de Montréal medical professor Dr. André Veillette, director of the molecular oncology research unit of the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM), in collaboration with scientists from several countries, that marks a breakthrough in the fight against treatment-refractory cancers.

Led by Jiaxin Li, a doctoral student in Veillette's lab, the researchers have discovered a new molecule of interest called CD200R1. The finding is detailed in a study published in the journal Nature Communications.

CD200R1 is a protein present on the surface of certain immune cells called macrophages, which play a key role in detecting and destroying abnormal cells. The new research shows that blocking CD200R1 with specific antibodies activates macrophages, helping to eliminate blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma in preclinical mouse models.

These results pave the way for a new therapeutic approach for cancers that are resistant to current treatments, the scientists believe. The next step for Veillette and his team is to develop collaborations aimed at proving that this strategy can also work in humans, which could transform treatment options for many patients.