Hunt' For a Cure for Cancer

LONDON, Ontario - A strong immune system can kill cancer cells. Although a connection between immunity and cancer may seem mind-boggling, it is real and plays a major role in fighting cancer. The immune system protects the body against infections by bacteria, viruses and other parasites. Just as immune cells recognize these infectious agents as foreign and dangerous, they can also recognize cancer cells that arise among the normal cells of our bodies. Once recognized as abnormal by our immune systems, cancer cells are tracked down and destroyed by immune cells in order to keep us cancer free by natural processes. Unfortunately for us, some cancer cells can play tricks on the immune system to prevent it from recognizing and eliminating them - and this can prevent the immune system from playing its part in keeping us free of cancer. Scientists at the Lawson Health Research Institute (Lawson) in London are currently testing new treatments aimed at reducing or eliminating the capacity of cancer cells to get around the immune system. Those treatments may eventually help us boost our immune systems to improve the success of cancer treatments and reduce the risk of cancers returning once they are successfully treated.

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation recently approved a two-year grant of $226,931 to Dr. Weiping Min and Dr. Jim Koropatnick to support their research aimed at fighting cancer using immune-based therapies. The collaboration between these two scientists bridges the cancer and transplantation research areas within the Institute and this multidisciplinary approach allows for the sharing of best practices and innovation transfer in the most sophisticated form.

One of the major hurdles impeding research aimed at fighting cancer using immune-based therapies is the suppression of the immune system. Research has demonstrated that there are several key molecules responsible for the inhibition of our immune cells. Drs. Min and Koropatnick believe that the inhibition of these immunosuppressive molecules will allow our immune cells to kill cancers. "Startling as it may seem, cancer cells can be quite tricky," says Dr. Koropatnick."The cells are able to use a variety of clever strategies to elude immune attack."One such strategy is to break down an amino acid, called tryptophan, into an end product that impairs the function of T cells. T cells are among the most important immune cells capable of recognizing and killing cancer cells, and their impairment creates a major stumbling block in elimination of cancer cells by natural processes. Drs. Min and Koropatnick are using an antisense drug that targets the messenger RNA and encodes a protein to "knock down" the enzyme in cancer cells that is responsible for degrading tryptophan into products that prevent the T cells from identifying and destroying cancer cells.

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation also approved a two-year post-doctoral fellowship of $95,000 to Dr. Xiufen Zheng,  who will be working alongside Dr. Min on this project. The new treatment will be safer, more robust and will offer great potential for in clinic anti-cancer therapy.

"The Foundation is proud to support Dr. Min\'s work, as it offers a significant opportunity to build knowledge about immune-based breast cancer therapies," says Sharon Wood, CEO of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation - Ontario Region. "We believe that this innovative research holds great potential to make a difference for women affected by the disease."

In 2008, it is estimated that 22,400 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Of these women, 5,300 will die of it. Research, such as that being conducted at Lawson, is an integral step toward providing a future for these daughters, mothers and wives.

Dr. Weiping Min is a Scientist at Lawson Health Research Institute and a Scientist in the Multi-Organ Transplant Program at London Health Sciences Centre.  He also holds an appointment at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario.

Dr. Jim Koropatnick is a Professor and Director of the Cancer Research Laboratory Program at London Regional Cancer Program, and Assistant Director and Scientist at Lawson Health Research Institute.  He is also Director of CIHR/Western Strategic Training Program in Cancer Research and Technology Transfer in the departments of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Physiology and Pharmacology, and Pathology at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario.

About Lawson Health Research Institute
As the research institute of London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph's Health Care, London, and working in partnership with The University of Western Ontario, Lawson Health Research Institute is committed to furthering scientific knowledge to advance health care around the world.

For more information, please contact:
Melissa Beilhartz, Communications Consultant
Lawson Health Research Institute
519-646-6100 ext. 65516
Melissa.beilhartz@sjhc.london.on.ca
www.lhrionhealth.ca