Most drugs are developed based on tumor-specific antigens (TSA). And the search for them begins with the study of peptides derived from protein-coding exons. However, as a group of researchers from Canada managed to find out, such peptides can be found in our body and their source is "junk" DNA - that part of the molecule, which, as it is believed, does not "participate" in life processes.
First, let's figure out how anti-tumor immunotherapy works. The fact is that our immunity is designed in such a way that, in theory, it itself can destroy cancer cells and even does it successfully, because changes in cells occur constantly. But sometimes something “breaks down” and immune cells stop noticing cancer cells, mistaking them for normal ones. In this case, the cells of the immune system need to be helped and made active again against tumors. Recognition occurs due to histocompatibility complexes on the cell surface. These complexes are composed of peptides. It is these peptides that need to be "fed" to the immune system so that it starts to fight again. And it is these peptides that helped find "junk" DNA
According to the editors of Science Translational Medicine, the development is backed by a team from the University of Montreal, led by Dr. Celine Lemont. Scientists have sequenced all RNA and DNA of two cancer cell lines. Then they started looking for peptides. As a result, it was possible to find 14 and 7 (for each of the lines, respectively) potential candidates for the creation of a vaccine. Moreover, most of them were obtained precisely from the "trash" region of the molecule.
Further, the effectiveness of the peptides was tested on laboratory mice with cancer. As a result, 3 out of 5 selected peptides showed very good results and significantly extended the life of the animals. Moreover, in the study of seven other lines of cancer cells, 22 more complexes were found that can also be used. The new technique (if it proves to be effective in the long term) could be a good way to treat and prevent cancer.
Vladimir Kuznetsov
