Immune Immune 69: Lung cancer and retroviruses
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Jun 15, 2023 Kevin Ng, a researcher studying the promotion of immunotherapy of lung cancer by antibodies against endogenous retroviruses, joins Immune and discusses his work. They explore the role of endogenous retroviruses in the immune system and the development of a mouse model for studying lung cancer. They also delve into the functionality of B cells in tumor protection, the role of PD1 and PDL1 in regulating the immune response, and using gene sequencing and baseline data to predict cancer response.
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Side Project Became Major Discovery
- Kevin Ng shared that this influential lung cancer immunotherapy paper started as a side project during his PhD. - Three co-first authors, including Kevin, collaborated closely across immunology and computational biology to develop it.
TLS as Tumor Immune Hubs
- Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) form at sites of chronic inflammation and often contain germinal centers dominated by B cells. - These TLS are linked to better immunotherapy outcomes in cancer but their antigen specificity was previously unclear.
Endogenous Retroviruses as Immune Targets
- Endogenous retroviruses constitute a significant portion of the genome and retain viral-like proteins, especially envelope glycoproteins. - These viral-like proteins are immunologically targetable and relevant in tumor immunity.