Monkey virus protein may help supercharge cancer immunotherapy, scientists say <\/p>\n
Scientists at the University of Michigan have developed a protein derived from a monkey herpesvirus that may enhance the immune system\u2019s ability to fight cancer. The engineered protein, based on herpesvirus saimiri, was shown to extend the lifespan of cancer-fighting T cells in mice, leading to reduced tumor growth.<\/p>\n
The protein, a modified version of tyrosine kinase interacting protein (TIP), was designed to activate pathways in T cells that increase levels of STAT5\u2014a molecule linked to improved cell survival and function. In experiments, treated mice with melanoma and lymphoma showed better tumor control compared to untreated groups.<\/p>\n
The findings, published in Science Immunology, suggest that the protein could strengthen current immunotherapy approaches by sustaining T cell activity in solid tumors. While the treatment remains experimental, researchers say it highlights the potential of engineering viral proteins to enhance immune-based cancer therapies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Monkey virus protein may help supercharge cancer immunotherapy, scientists say Scientists at the University of Michigan have developed a protein derived from a monkey herpesvirus that may enhance the immune system\u2019s ability to fight cancer. The engineered protein, based on herpesvirus saimiri, was shown to extend the lifespan of cancer-fighting T cells in mice, leading …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":127451,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-127452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science"],"yoast_head":"\n