Oncology researchers from the National Institutes of Health have published the results of a mesothelioma study that may prove useful in treating the rare, asbestos-related form of cancer. The group found that laboratory animal mesothelioma cells responded completely to exposure to an immunotoxin treatment. Their findings suggest that similar treatment may prove helpful in treating the aggressive, deadly tumors in humans, as well as in preventing their return.
Antibody-Based Therapy Offers Hope for Mesothelioma Patients
The mesothelioma research article was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and was authored by researchers from the Center for Cancer Research, Laboratory of Molecular Biology of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. Noting the poor prognosis for the rare form of cancer and the need for new therapies, the group identified mesothelin (MSLN) as a target for antibody-based therapies.
Mesothelin is highly expressed on the surface of mesothelioma cells. The particular antibody-based therapy that they decided to test is called LMB-100. It is a recombinant immunotoxin with a makeup that includes a fragment that targets mesothelin. The researchers developed a mouse model to determine whether the immunotoxin could provoke anti-tumor activity and to examine exactly how the process worked.
Immunotoxin Creates Anti-Tumor Immunity in Mesothelioma Tumors
After developing a mouse model with malignant mesothelioma cells expressing mesothelin, the group treated the mice with LMB-100. Those mice that had a complete response to the treatment were then rechallenged with tumor cells to see whether they had developed anti-tumor immunity. The group found that the treatment “reshapes the tumor immune microenvironment by upregulating chemotaxis signals.”
The authors summarized the findings of their mesothelioma study by writing, “In sum, immunotoxin-mediated cell death induces anti-tumor immunity and the development of TLS, which provides insights into how immunotoxins cause tumor regressions.”
Every day, research draws us closer to finding an effective treatment for malignant mesothelioma. For more information on the resources available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
