Oncology · 11 h ago
PPARD activation enhances antitumor activity of engineered immune cells in preclinical models
A Nature Immunology study tested PPARD activation in immune cells, including CAR T cells, in mouse, cell-culture and patient-derived tumor models. The approach slowed or stopped tumor growth in experiments involving colorectal, breast and ovarian cancers, and melanoma; it has not been tested in patients.
- PPARD activation changed immune-cell metabolism in experiments.
- Engineered CAR T cells showed antitumor activity in preclinical models.
- No patient outcomes or clinical safety data were reported.
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory investigated PPARD, a protein that regulates fat metabolism and can support cancer-cell activity. In mouse models of colorectal cancer, they found that activating PPARD in immune cells had a different effect: it shifted the tumor environment toward immune attack. The team then activated PPARD in engineered CAR T cells and tested them against human colorectal cancer models, including patient-derived organoids, cultured cells and tumors implanted in mice.
Across these experiments, PPARD-activated CAR T cells slowed or stopped tumor growth. The researchers also reported promising results in experimental models of breast and ovarian cancer and melanoma. The findings suggest that altering immune-cell metabolism may strengthen antitumor activity, but they are preclinical: no patient outcomes or clinical safety data are reported. The approach therefore does not establish that PPARD activation will improve CAR T-cell treatment in people.
Is this summary clinically accurate?
Help fellow clinicians: your rating sends inaccurate summaries straight to our editors.
Sign in to rate this summary →Source
Nature Immunology (via ScienceDaily): A protein that fuels cancer could also be the key to fighting it ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.