New Discovery Reveals How Immune System Fuels Cancer Growth Through Platelet-Activating Factor (PAF)
Researchers uncover how platelet-activating factor rewires immune cells to promote tumor growth
Cancer, often compared to “a wound that does not heal,” gains new depth with a recent breakthrough in understanding how the immune system can unwittingly fuel tumor growth. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), unveils how platelet-activating factor (PAF), a critical chemical, can transform immune cells from defenders into allies of cancer.
Dr. Minsoo Kim, PhD, who leads the research at the Wilmot Cancer Institute, spearheaded this pivotal study. His team uncovered that PAF not only recruits cells that promote cancer but also undermines the immune system’s ability to fight back. This revelation is significant because PAF appears to be influencing several types of cancer.
Dr. Kim, a Dean’s Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, highlights the potential for this discovery to reshape cancer treatment. “If we find a treatment that could interfere with PAF, it could potentially apply to many types of cancer,” Kim notes. This could be a game-changer in how we approach not only pancreatic cancer, a particularly deadly form due to its protective tumor environment, but also other challenging cancers like breast, ovarian, colorectal, and lung.
The research team used cutting-edge 3D imaging technology to closely observe how immune cells interact with various cancers. Their findings offer new hope for developing treatments that could disrupt the harmful influence of PAF and restore the immune system’s natural ability to combat cancer.
Ankit Dahal, PhD, a key member of Kim’s lab and a student in the UR Medical Scientist Training Program, played a crucial role in designing the study and co-authoring the article. This work opens a new chapter in cancer research, suggesting that targeting PAF could be a critical step in fighting these aggressive diseases.
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