Retraining immune cells to kill tumors

The new study identifies a protein, called IKK(beta), that drives this pro-tumor switch. This protein normally stimulates protective inflammation. But in the context of tumors, the study shows, IKK(beta) also blocked the activity of a protein that turns on anti-tumor genes.

When the scientists inactivated IKK(beta) in macrophages from mouse tumors, the tumor-friendly cells went on the attack. These cells also secreted proteins that attracted professional tumor-killing cells that helped to shrink the tumors. The researchers are now conducting clinical trials to determine whether macrophages from cancer patients can be similarly reprogrammed into tumor killers.-Journal of Experimental Medicine