Aqsa, Jamia Millia Islamia
Cancer is a disease in which cells of the body grow abnormally and uncontrollably. Until now, there is still no permanent cure for cancer, but getting treatment for cancer might allow you to live for a certain period. Research for the cure of cancer has been underway for about 100 years now. There are different types of therapies available against cancer. These include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, stem cell or bone marrow transplant, and hormone therapy. Among these, immunotherapy is considered the leading one without any side effects.
A New Therapy:
There are different types of therapies available against cancer. These include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, stem cell or bone marrow transplant, and hormone therapy. Among these, immunotherapy is considered the leading one without any side effects. In cancer, the tumor secretes certain chemicals that inhibit the immune response, and immunotherapy works by uplifting these breaks, creating an immune response. T cells are the main force that fights against cancer.
The T-cells from a cancer patient express more checkpoint molecules, such as PD-1, and the cancer cells express the inhibitory ligands (such as PD-L1) of checkpoints. When activated T cells come in contact with cancer cells with inhibitory ligands, they become inactive, resulting in the escape of cancer cells. Recent studies have shown that infection with the Plasmodium parasite can also help in activating the inhibited immune system. Trials of Plasmodium immunotherapy for advanced lung cancer, breast and liver cancers, and advanced cancers have been approved and are ongoing in China.
Plasmodium immunotherapy:
There are two types of tumors: cold and hot tumors. Hot tumors remain surrounded by molecules that allow T cells to attack and kill the tumor cells. On the other hand, cold tumors remain surrounded by cells that can suppress the immune response and keep T cells from attacking the tumor cells and killing them. Cold tumors usually do not respond to immunotherapy. A method to switch cold tumors to hot tumors is by inducing Th1/proinflammatory cytokine response. Studies have shown that Plasmodium infection promotes Th1/proinflammatory cytokine production that activates innate immune cells such as Natural Killer cells and dendritic cells.
Natural killer cells and dendritic cells kill the cancer cells that would release tumor antigens. These antigens activate the tumor antigen-specific T cell responses and promote the killing of cancer cells. Plasmodium infection also increases the expression levels of co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory checkpoint molecules on CD8+ T cells. It also inhibits tumor angiogenesis and induces fever in humans that may also affect cancer cells. Plasmodium parasites can also act as a vaccine vector to construct a therapeutic cancer vaccine that could induce tumor antigen-specific T-cell responses.
Significance of the study:
Plasmodium infection activates the whole immune system, which has been suppressed by a tumor. The mechanism of inhibition by Plasmodium makes it a suitable candidate for cancer immunotherapy to overcome the weakness of single targeted therapies. Single targeted therapies such as checkpoint blockade therapy may be ineffective for cold tumors and may induce acquired drug resistance of hot tumors.
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References:
- Chen, X., Qin, L., Hu, W., & Adah, D. (2021). The mechanisms of action of Plasmodium infection against cancer. Cell Communication and Signaling, 19(1), 74. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-021-00748-5
- Is there a cure for cancer? (n.d.). WebMD. Retrieved 13 July 2021, from https://www.webmd.com/cancer/guide/cure-for-cancer
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