Scientists at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center in Sacramento, California, claim to have identified a “kill switch” that triggers the death of cancer cells. Their research, detailed in the journal Cell Death & Differentiation, focused on a protein associated with the CD95 receptor, also known as Fas, which can program cancer cells to self-destruct. Referred to as “death receptors,” CD95 receptors send signals that induce cancer cells to undergo self-destruction.
While previous attempts to target the CD95 receptor, particularly Fas, were unsuccessful, the researchers have now identified an epitope (target) that could provide a potential therapeutic pathway to target Fas in tumors. This breakthrough has raised hopes that future cancer drugs could be developed to enhance the activity of CD95 receptors, potentially creating a new approach to combating cancer tumors. Traditional cancer treatments have historically involved surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
The newly discovered “kill switch” offers the possibility of terminating tumor cells and improving the effectiveness of immunotherapies. This could potentially create a powerful combination against various tumors. The researchers suggest that the discovery may provide a solution to transform the limited success of CAR-T therapies into more effective treatments for solid tumors.
Although no drugs specifically boosting CD95 receptors have entered clinical trials, the researchers believe that this finding opens new avenues in cancer treatment. There is optimism that future approaches could involve screening cancer patients undergoing CAR-T therapy for Fas expression in their tumors. For patients lacking Fas expression, safe methods to manipulate tumors to express Fas could be explored before administering CAR therapies.
The study acknowledges limitations, such as limited data from clinical trials. However, the researchers highlight the potential to go back and collect human tumor samples from clinical trials for further analysis in light of these findings. Despite the challenges, the discovery of the “kill switch” represents a promising step forward in the ongoing efforts to develop more effective and targeted cancer treatments.
In potential cancer breakthrough, newly found ‘kill switch’ triggers death of cancer cells: ‘One-two punch’ https://t.co/DlgFLy4Llw
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 12, 2023
