Turning Tregs against cancer

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital found that inhibiting a signalosome complex in Treg cells could convert the immunosuppressive cell type into inflammatory cells in tumors, a strategy that could both increase the efficacy of checkpoint inhibition therapy and the number of cancer patients that respond to the approach.

Tumor-infiltrating Treg cells promote tumor growth by suppressing T effector (Teff) cell function. The immunosuppressive nature of tumor-infiltrating Tregs and the resulting weak tumor-associated inflammatory responses can create a barrier to immunotherapies...