A publication in Madrid, Europa Press reveals that the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, or ADP, is a very deadly form of cancer, but researchers at the School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (USA) show that a combination of chemotherapy and a drug that activates the CD40 protein can shrink tumors effectively in a subset of human patients and mice. Their work is published in the journal Science.
The scientists, led by Gregory Beatty, report the results of a clinical trial in which a small number of patients with incurable ADP surgical inland benefited from immunotherapy with CD40. The treatment appeared to slow the progression of cancer in patients for a median of 5.6 months.
The researchers then analyzed this treatment in mice that were genetically engineered to have ADP and found that a subgroup of mice also responded well.
Since it is known that CD40 promotes T cells deletion eliminating the cancer of immune system function, researchers was surprised to discover that the antitumor effects providing this immunotherapy with macrophages involving CD40. Macrophages were activated by CD40 is rapidly infiltrating the tumors and facilitated the removal of the tumor tissue.
These findings suggest that T cells induced by therapy were not necessary to activate the immune system against cancer cells. Conclude that activation of macrophages with CD40 may provide a means of launching anti-tumor immunity in the ADP.