New "killer cell" fights cancer

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have discovered a new cell in mice that acts as both a killer and a messenger in the immune system.

 

Usually, one specific type of cell will attack an invading virus or bacteria, releasing a chemical that attracts "messenger" cells that spread the word to other immune system cells. However, 1/10 of the cells in the spleen of mice seemed to do both of the roles at once.

 

When researchers injected an anti-cancer drug that acts as both a protein-blocker for cancer cells and a growth factor for the abnormal immune cells, the immune cells were "lured" towards the cancer and shrunk the tumor. In mice that did not display the abnormal immune cells, the tumor did not shrink at all. Now, scientists say, the next job is to find a human equivalent.

 

http://biosingularity.wordpress.com/2006/03/06/newly-discovered-killer-cell-fights-cancer/

[GradGrrl]

When researchers injected an anti-cancer drug that acts as both a protein-blocker for cancer cells and a growth factor for the abnormal immune cells' date=' the immune cells were "lured" towards the cancer and shrunk the tumor. In mice that did not display the abnormal immune cells, the tumor did not shrink at all. Now, scientists say, the next job is to find a human equivalent.

 

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Cool experiment. Wish I did it!

[Steph]

wow... this is pretty interesting stuff. really interesting actually. IKDC's... well if this works out, this is a new field for immunology!

[mattbimbo]

NK cells have always been considered to be the evolutionary precursors of DCs. it is not suprising to me that an intermediate type of cell has been isolated. what bothers me, is if they constitute 10% of the spleen, why they weren't found earlier!

with a paper like this it is important to wait for the papers which confirm its observations; there are factors known to drastically alter the DC content of the spleen.