[China Tech] Local Experts Identify a New Cancer Target

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Shanghai Chest Hospital partnered with domestic and international researchers to identify a new target for cancer immunotherapy.

It's believed that destroying cancer cells boosts the immune system to remove leftover tumors. Researchers led by Dr Wang Jiayi from Shanghai Chest Hospital found that not all cancer cell deaths stimulate the immune system. Ferroptosis, which kills cancer cells, does not alert the immune system.

Dying cancer cells release a protein called GPX4, which suppresses immune system activity, during ferroptosis, the team observed. Further research indicated that GPX4 interacts with dendritic cells' ZP3 receptor, weakening the body's anti-tumor immune response. In pancreatic, lung, and kidney cancer patients, ZP3 is abnormally overexpressed, encouraging cancer growth and poor treatment results.

GPX4 levels were higher in pancreatic cancer patients who responded poorly to treatment. "This indicates that GPX4 and ZP3 play critical roles in anti-tumor immunity and could serve as biomarkers for evaluating the effectiveness of immunotherapy and patient prognosis," said Wang.

In animal trials, Wang's team disrupted GPX4-ZP3 contact to test this notion. The study found that chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy were more effective and resulted in longer survival times for test patients. "This groundbreaking study identifies a new therapeutic target and validates its mechanism. Our next step will be to proceed with clinical studies to assist patients in the near future," Wang said.

The discovery has attracted international attention and was published in the world's premier journal, Cell.