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A CNIO research team has found how melanoma ‘deceives’ the immune system, increasing resistance to immunotherapy.
The researchers have identified how melanoma redirects the immune system, preventing it from attacking the tumour and transforming it into an ally in cancer development. A key element in this ‘deception’ is MIDKINE, a protein that modifies the function of several components of the immune system. By blocking MIDKINE, the researchers managed to rewire immune cells to resume the attack against the tumour.
This finding can lead to the development of optimised immunotherapy, which is only partly effective in some tumours today.