Cancer treatment may have just received a powerful upgrade, thanks to a discovery by Cancer Research UK-funded scientists. Researchers at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in the U.S. have uncovered a unique connection between mitochondrial DNA mutations and the effectiveness of cancer drugs.
Mitochondria, often referred to as the energy factories within cells, play a pivotal role in this newfound breakthrough. By strategically "rewiring" the DNA of mitochondria, the scientists created mutations that determine how well cancer responds to immunotherapy. Immunotherapy treatments leverage the body's natural defenses to target and destroy cancer cells.
The study marks the first time a direct link has been established between mitochondrial DNA mutations and the response to cancer treatment. Surprisingly, tumors with high levels of these mutations are significantly more likely—up to two and a half times—to respond to immunotherapy drugs like nivolumab.
Testing for mutations to identify patients who will benefit from immunotherapy
Nivolumab, a drug currently used to treat various cancers, including melanoma, lung cancer, liver cancer, and bowel cancer, works by releasing a "brake" on the immune system, allowing it to attack cancer cells more effectively. Scientists believe that routinely testing for mitochondrial DNA mutations could help doctors identify patients who would benefit most from immunotherapy before initiating treatment.
Moreover, the researchers are exploring the possibility of mimicking the effects of mitochondrial DNA mutations to make treatment-resistant cancers more responsive to immunotherapy. This approach could potentially broaden the application of immunotherapy, benefiting a larger population of cancer patients.
Dr. Payam Gammage, Group Leader at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute and co-lead author of the study, emphasized the significance of this research in providing a new approach to combatting cancer. He highlighted that the engineered mutations in mitochondrial DNA make tumors more sensitive to immunotherapy, offering a powerful tool to halt cancer's progression.
Dr. Ed Reznik, Assistant Attending Computational Oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and co-lead author expressed astonishment at how mitochondrial DNA mutations impact the tumor directly and affect the surrounding cells. This unexpected discovery could potentially be exploited to make tumors more vulnerable to treatment, offering a new strategy to tackle cancer.
Cancer Research UK's innovation arm, Cancer Research Horizons, has filed patents on this technology. This move aims to bring the groundbreaking discovery to market, allowing the development of new treatments that disrupt the energy sources cancer exploits to spread and grow.
Dr. Iain Foulkes, Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Cancer Research UK and CEO of Cancer Research Horizons, emphasized the limitless potential of mitochondrial DNA mutations in cancer. He announced plans for clinical trials to determine the most effective combinations of treatments, showcasing the commitment to translating this discovery into practical benefits for patients.
The paper, titled "Mitochondrial DNA mutations drive aerobic glycolysis to enhance checkpoint blockade in melanoma," was published in Nature Cancer. This discovery opens up a new chapter in the fight against cancer, offering hope for more effective and targeted treatments in the near future.
Originally published on Interesting Engineering : Original article