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takyon writes:

Immune discovery 'may treat all cancer'

A newly-discovered part of our immune system could be harnessed to treat all cancers, say scientists.

The Cardiff University team discovered a method of killing prostate, breast, lung and other cancers in lab tests.

The findings, published in Nature Immunology, have not been tested in patients, but the researchers say they have "enormous potential".

Experts said that although the work was still at an early stage, it was very exciting.

Also at Cardiff University:

Cardiff researchers have now discovered T-cells equipped with a new type of T-cell receptor (TCR) which recognises and kills most human cancer types, while ignoring healthy cells.

[...] [The] Cardiff study, published today in Nature Immunology, describes a unique TCR that can recognise many types of cancer via a single [human leukocyte antigen (HLA)]-like molecule called MR1.

Unlike HLA, MR1 does not vary in the human population - meaning it is a hugely attractive new target for immunotherapies.

Genome-wide CRISPR–Cas9 screening reveals ubiquitous T cell cancer targeting via the monomorphic MHC class I-related protein MR1 (DOI: 10.1038/s41590-019-0578-8) (DX)

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