New enzyme discovery could boost cancer immunotherapy
Source: Drug Target Review, February 2025
A new discovery from the University of Geneva highlights the crucial role of the CH25H enzyme, which is found in cancerous lymphatic cells. This enzyme plays a key part in activating immune cells, opening up a promising pathway for improving the success of cancer immunotherapies.
Scientists at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have made a significant discovery about how the immune system can be better equipped to fight tumours. Their research, published in Nature Communications, has identified an enzyme in cancerous lymphatic cells that plays a crucial role in supporting immune cell activity, particularly when triggered by anti-tumour treatments. This breakthrough could facilitate the development of more effective immunotherapies.
The complex role of lymphatic vessels
The development of lymphatic vessels, known as lymphangiogenesis, within the tumour stroma (the tissue surrounding a tumour) is often associated with a poor prognosis. This is because it can promote the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. However, the role of these vessels is more complex than initially thought. “While it is true that lymphatic vessels promote metastasis, they are also essential for transporting immune cells and activating the anti-tumour immune response,” says Stéphanie Hugues, professor in the Department of Pathology and Immunology and at the Geneva Centre for Inflammation Research, UNIGE Faculty of Medicine, who led the research. “Their role is therefore more complex than we imagined, which is why we wanted to understand how the cells that make them up respond to the tumour microenvironment in order to influence the immune response.”