Home >  Gastroenterology MDTV >  Gastroenterology Shorts MDTV >  Predictive Biomarker May...

Predictive Biomarker May Help Identify Patients Who Could Benefit from Immunotherapy in Liver Cancer Cases: Study

By - Dr. Bhumika Maikhuri
Published On 2024-10-19 03:15 GMT   |   Update On 2024-10-19 03:15 GMT
Advertisement
It may soon be possible to determine which patients with a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma would benefit from immunotherapy, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.
The study, published in Molecular Cell, provides new insights into a pair of proteins, called p62 and NBR1, and their opposing functions in regulating the interferon response in hepatic stellate cells, a critical immune component in the liver’s fight against tumors. The study demonstrates that high levels of the immune-suppressing NBR1 in these specialized cells may identify patients who are unlikely to respond to immunotherapies. It also shows that NBR1-lowering strategies help shrink tumors in animal models, suggesting a potential new therapeutic approach for the subset of patients who do not respond to immunotherapy.
Advertisement
“P62 and NBR1 are yin and yang,” said the study’s co-principal investigator Dr. Jorge Moscat, the Homer T. Hirst III Professor of Oncology in Pathology and a member of the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. “In contrast to NBR1, if p62 is high in hepatic stellate cells, a patient is protected from cancer, but if it is low, the immune system is knocked down. If NBR1 is high, the immune system is impaired, but if NBR1 is low, the immune response increases.”
Until recently, patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had few treatment options and those that were available extended life by only a few months. Immunotherapy has offered a new alternative for these patients and may extend their lives for up to two years.
However, not all patients respond to immunotherapy, and only a small percentage achieve long-term remission. Clinicians cannot currently predict which patients would benefit. “We need biomarkers to identify which patients will respond and who will achieve long-term survival,” she said.
The investigators aimed to identify biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets by studying what goes wrong in the liver’s healing mechanisms that leads to cancer. Prior research has found that levels of the tumor-suppressing protein p62 are irreversibly depressed in patients who develop hepatocellular carcinoma. The new study shows that, usually, p62 helps promote an immune response by activating a protein called STING, which pushes NBR1 out of the way, triggering an immune response that destroys tumor cells. NBR1, by contrast, promotes the breakdown of STING and blocks the immune response. Deleting NBR1 from hepatic stellate cells in mice with hepatocellular carcinoma rescues the immune response and shrinks the tumors even when p62 levels remain low.
Reference: Opposing regulation of the STING pathway in hepatic stellate cells by NBR1 and p62 determines the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma, Nishimura, Sadaaki et al. Molecular Cell, Volume 0, Issue 0
Full View
Tags:    

Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.

NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.

Dr. Bhumika Maikhuri
Comments Policy
Our comments section is governed by our Comments Policy . By posting comments at Medical Dialogues you automatically agree with our Comments Policy , Terms And Conditions and Privacy Policy .

Similar News

Caltech Engineers Develop Smart Ingestible Capsule for Real-Time Gut Health Monitoring

New Blood Test May Detect Early Liver Transplant Rejection: Study Suggests

Six in Ten with Type 2 Diabetes Have Fatty Liver: Study Finds

Why Alcohol-Related Liver Disease Are Rising in Women? Study Sheds Light

Clinical Trial Shows Diabetes Drug May Help Treat Liver Inflammation

How Plastic Particles in Food Affect Liver Function: Study Sheds Light

Mediterranean Diet Shows Potential for Easing Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Study

First Indian Consensus on Managing Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Recommends Vonoprazan