A glioblastoma is a fast-growing type of brain tumour and the most common malignant brain tumour in adults. It’s considered to be one of the deadliest types of cancer as it responds poorly to immunotherapy.
Dr Felipe Galvez-Cancino, Kidani Fellow and Group Leader at NDM’s Centre for Immuno-Oncology, co-lead a study on the impact of regulatory T cell (Treg) depletion on the progression of glioblastoma and immunotherapy responsiveness.
The research found that Treg depletion suppressed tumour growth in preclinical models and in human tissues. In order to mediate Treg depletion, depleting antibodies are dependent on tumour-infiltrating macrophages that are specialised in antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis. This means that after administering depleting antibodies to mice with glioblastomas, specific macrophages mediated the elimination of the target regulatory CD4+ T cells.
Find out more on the Nuffield Department of Medicine website.