The secret life of CD4+ T cells: from helpers to melanoma fighters
Source: Doherty Institute, January 2024
In the study led by the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) and published in Science Immunology, the researchers found that CD4+ T cells, traditionally called ‘helper T cells’ for their role in aiding the activation of other immune cells, are remarkably effective in controlling melanoma.
University of Melbourne’s Dr Emma Bawden, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Doherty Institute and lead author of the study, said this discovery challenges the conventional understanding of the role of CD4+ T cells in cancer immunity.
“Our in-depth study, using animal models, unravelled the complex biology of CD4+ T cells in melanoma and how they control cancer,” explained Dr Bawden.