Outwitting Cancer's Defense Mechanism

The study was published in the July 23, 2002, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Investigators from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC, USA) looked at the sequence of molecular events that occur when cancer cells are exposed to TNF. This experiment was designed to mimic the immune system's response to tumor growth. Normally, cancer cells are not susceptible to TNF-mediated destruction. However, when the E1A gene was inserted into the malignant cells, the tumor cells were no longer able to defend themselves.

"Multiple molecular mechanisms triggered by E1A prevent tumor cells from thwarting an immunological attack,” explained first author Dr. James Cook, chief of infectious diseases at UIC. "Further definition of these mechanisms will help us develop new concepts that may be useful for treating cancer, in part by enlisting the body to become a more active partner in fighting the disease.”



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