Research at MSK unlocks new potentials in cancer treatment

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) has spearheaded revolutionary research unveiling groundbreaking strides in cancer treatment and understanding disease mechanisms. Their discoveries include targeting specific antigens in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), insights into the genetic element LINE 1, revelations on blood stem cell regulation, and a promising immunotherapy technique targeting CD47, showcasing potential breakthroughs in cancer therapy.

In the battle against acute myeloid leukemia (AML), traditional CAR T cell therapies faced hurdles due to varying antigens in AML cells and their similarity to normal blood stem cells, risking broader immune system damage. MSK's Michel Sadelain, MD, PhD, and team developed cooperative CAR T cells, adeptly targeting two AML specific antigens—ADGRE2 and CLEC12A—potentially sparing healthy stem cells.

LINE 1 exploration: unveiling new treatment prospects MSK's study on LINE 1, a genetic element influential in cancer, showcased its role in synthesizing DNA from RNA and revealed a potential treatment target. The research led by Benjamin Greenbaum, Ph.D., and their team detailed the X ray crystallography structure of ORF2p, a key enzyme in LINE 1 activity.

This structural understanding opens doors for novel treatments and provides critical insights into viral mimicry within our genome. Pioneering research by MSK and the New York Genome Center uncovered SON as a pivotal regulator of blood forming stem cells. The study, led by Hanzhi Luo, PhD, and Mariela Cortés López, PhD, highlighted SON's impact on stem cell fate and its role in controlling inflammation.

Understanding SON's function could lead to expanded stem cell populations and aid in deciphering the effects of Immunotherapy advancements took center stage with Juan Osorio, MD, and the team's study targeting the CD47 protein prevalent in cancer cells. Novel antibodies created in the lab exhibited heightened efficacy in identifying and eliminating CD47 expressing cancer cells in mice, showcasing potential long term systemic antitumor immunity.

This innovative technique holds promise for future clinical trials. These paradigm shifting findings from MSK not only offer hope for but also unravel the intricate mechanisms governing disease, ushering in a new era of precision medicine and therapeutic strategies..