(Press-News.org) A study conducted by researchers at the Center for Cell-Based Therapy (CTC) highlights key proteins and signaling pathways involved in the efficacy of immunotherapy based on CAR-T cells (lymphocytes modified in the laboratory to fight cancer).
The CTC is a Research, Innovation, and Dissemination Center (RIDC) funded by FAPESP and based at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP) in Brazil.
The research, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, was carried out by John Oluwafemi Teibo, a doctoral student at FMRP-USP and FAPESP scholarship holder, under the supervision of Professor Vitor Faça.
“CAR-T cell therapy is innovative and has made incredible advances against hematological diseases. There are many CAR-T cell constructs being approved for clinical use. But we don’t fully understand how these CAR-T cells work in terms of molecular mechanisms, or the signaling pathways and molecular effectors involved. And that’s the motivation for this study,” Teibo said in a video published on the São Paulo Blood Center YouTube channel.
The research sought to identify molecular effectors – molecules (usually proteins, but they can also be other molecules) that play a crucial role in responding to stimuli and carrying out specific cellular processes, such as the immune response or signal transduction – related to CAR-T cell therapy in databases such as PubMed and Scopus. The research resulted in the identification of proteins that could be key targets for improving therapy effectiveness.
“We found 14 proteins, which were classified into four categories. First are cytokines, which include interferon, CCL3, gamma interferon, and many others. We also have kinases, such as LCK, ITK, JAK2, as well as B-Raf, and receptors, such as CD80, CD20, which are involved in activating the therapy. Finally, there are proteases and chemical messengers, such as Granzyme B and TNF-α,” said the doctoral student.
The use of proteomics (the analysis of the set of proteins in a sample) will allow for a deeper understanding of changes in these molecules, paving the way for new treatment advances. “For example, we have interferon gamma and also IL2, which can be used as a surrogate biomarker. This could help overcome some of the challenges of CAR-T cell therapy,” said Teibo.
In addition, recent advances in mass spectrometry have made it possible to analyze the abundance, cellular localization, synthesis/degradation, and post-translational modifications of proteins. This allows for a more detailed and integrated understanding of physiological and cellular processes, which is essential for improving therapy.
About FAPESP
The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration.
 END
Study identifies proteins involved in the effectiveness of immunotherapy against blood cancer
Researchers at a FAPESP-supported research center have discovered 14 proteins that could be targets for improving CAR-T cell-based therapies.
2025-06-03
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Cannabis extract could treat fungal diseases
2025-06-03
Two cannabis-derived compounds have shown remarkable effectiveness against fungal pathogens in laboratory tests, according to new Macquarie University research.
In a study published in The Journal of Neglected Tropical Diseases (PLOS NTDs), researchers discovered that bioactives Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabidivarin (CBDV) killed harmfulCryptococcus neoformans - a WHO-listed priority fungal pathogen. The compounds also killed dermatophytes that cause common skin infections, and much ...
Pancreatic cancer spreads to liver or lung thanks to this protein
2025-06-03
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Levi.Gadye@ucsf.edu, (415) 502-6397
Subscribe to UCSF News
A protein called PCSK9 determines how pancreatic cancer cells metastasize to different parts of the body.  
Scientists at UC San Francisco have discovered how pancreatic cancer cells thrive in the lungs or liver, environments that are as distinct to cells as the ocean and desert are to animals. The spread of cancer cells to organs like these often produces the very first symptoms of pancreatic ...
Eating an array of smaller fish could be nutrient-dense solution to overfishing
2025-06-03
ITHACA, N.Y. - To satisfy the seafood needs of billions of people, offering them access to a more biodiverse array of fish creates opportunities to mix-and-match species to obtain better nutrition from smaller portions of fish.
The right combination of certain species can provide up to 60% more nutrients than if someone ate the same quantity of even a highly nutritious species, according to an analysis by Cornell University researchers.
“This research hopefully highlights the importance of biodiversity, not just because of a moral quandary that we’re causing a mass extinction on Earth, but also because biodiversity can lead to better outcomes ...
Han studying potential of next generation telepresence
2025-06-03
Bo Han, Associate Professor, Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), received funding for: “I-Corps: Translation Potential of Next Generation Telepresence Enriched by Immersive Technologies.”
Han aims to conduct extensive customer discovery and assess the value and potential of next-generation telepresence enriched by immersive technologies. 
He will conduct interviews focused on three main customer segments: (1) education and training, (2) healthcare, and (3) fashion design. ...
Emory study finds molecular link between air pollution and pregnancy risks
2025-06-03
A new study by Emory University researchers, published Thursday in Environmental Science & Technology, found that exposure to the tiny particles in air pollution during pregnancy can disrupt maternal metabolisms, altering key biological pathways. These changes were associated with increased risk of various negative birth outcomes, including premature birth.
The study, which analyzed blood samples provided by 330 pregnant women from the Atlanta metropolitan area, is believed to be the first to investigate how exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) commonly found in air pollution ...
Controlling bacteria with light: from tackling antibiotic resistance to “bacterial robots”
2025-06-03
A groundbreaking technique developed by Politecnico di Milano researchers is enabling scientists to control specific bacterial functions using light-sensitive materials. The Engineering Of bacteria to See light (EOS) project, funded by the European Research Council (ERC), has pioneered a system that allows bacteria to sense light and convert light energy into electrical signals across their membranes without the need for any genetic modification. This method is being explored as a promising solution to the growing global challenge of antibiotic resistance.
Its potential applications include ...
Johns Hopkins study shows how scientists can use black holes as supercolliders
2025-06-03
As federal funding cuts impact decades of research, scientists could turn to black holes for cheaper, natural alternatives to expensive facilities searching for dark matter and similarly elusive particles that hold clues to the universe’s deepest secrets, a new Johns Hopkins study of supermassive black holes suggests.
The findings could help complement multi-billion-dollar expenses and decades of construction needed for research complexes like Europe’s Large Hadron Collider, the largest and highest-energy particle accelerator in the world.
“One of the great hopes for particle colliders like the Large Hadron Collider is that ...
Being incarcerated and living in areas where more have gone to jail is associated with higher death rates
2025-06-03
Journal: JAMA Network Open 
Title: Elevated death rates associated with incarceration emphasize the need for health care interventions both during and after incarceration
Author: Utsha Khatri, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Population Health Science and Policy, and Global Health and Health System Design, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Bottom line: This study shows individual incarceration rates and rates at the county level (the number of incarcerated individuals per 100,000 residents) are strongly associated with ...
New insights into long-term dysfunction of edited blood stem cells and how to overcome it
2025-06-03
Scientists at the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), Milan, have found that gene editing using CRISPR-Cas9 in combination with AAV6 vectors can trigger inflammatory and senescence-like responses in blood stem cells, compromising their long-term ability to regenerate the blood system. The study, published in Cell Reports Medicine, outlines new strategies to overcome this hurdle, improving both the safety and efficacy of gene-editing-based therapies for inherited blood disorders.
The research was led by Dr. Raffaella Di Micco, group leader at SR-Tiget, New York Stem Cell Foundation Robertson Investigator and Associate Professor at the School ...
Severe maternal morbidity by race and ethnicity and birth mode
2025-06-03
About The Study: In this cross-sectional study of births among individuals with a prior cesarean birth, patterns of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) by birth mode varied by race and ethnicity, with elevated rates of SMM among those from marginalized racial and ethnic groups with planned cesarean births. Future work should identify interventions to improve quality of care and promote equity for this population.
Corresponding author: To contact the corresponding author, Laura B. Attanasio, Ph.D., email lattanasio@umass.edu.
To access ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Cobalt single atom-phosphate functionalized reduced graphene oxide/perylenetetracarboxylic acid nanosheet heterojunctions for efficiently photocatalytic H2O2 production
World-first study shows Australian marsupials contaminated with harmful ‘forever chemicals’
Unlocking the brain’s hidden drainage system
Enhancing smoking cessation treatment for people living with HIV
Research spotlight: Mapping how gut neurons respond to bacteria, parasites and food allergy
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Experimental Physics Investigators awards to UCSB experimentalists opens the door to new insights and innovations
Meerkats get health benefit from mob membership
COVID-19 during pregnancy linked to higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children
How a chorus of synchronized frequencies helps you digest your food
UAlbany researcher partners on $1.2 million NSF grant to explore tropical monsoon rainfall patterns
Checkup time for Fido? Wait might be longer in the country
Genetic variation impact scores: A new tool for earlier heart disease detection
The Lundquist Institute awarded $9 million to launch Community Center of Excellence for Regenerative Medicine
'Really bizarre and exciting': The quantum oscillations are coming from inside
Is AI becoming selfish?
New molten salt method gives old lithium batteries a second life
Leg, foot amputations increased 65% in Illinois hospitals between 2016-2023
Moffitt studies uncover complementary strategies to overcome resistance to KRAS G12Cinhibitors in lung cancer
National summit of experts charts unprecedented roadmap to reduce harms from firearms in new ways
Global environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys significantly expand known geographic and ecological niche ranges of marine fish, highlighting current biases in conservation and ecological modeling
Hundreds of animal studies on brain damage after stroke flagged for problematic images
Prize winner’s research reveals how complex neural circuits are correctly wired during brain development
Supershear rupture sustained in thick fault zone during 2025 Mandalay earthquake, study in research package shows
Study reveals how brain cell networks stabilize memory formation
CTE: More than just head trauma, suggests new study
New psychology study suggests chimpanzees might be rational thinkers
Study links genetic variants to higher 'bad' cholesterol and heart attack risk
Myanmar fault had ideal geometry to produce 2025 supershear earthquake
Breakthrough in BRCA2 research: a novel mechanism behind chemoresistance discovered
New funding for health economics research on substance use disorder treatments
[Press-News.org] Study identifies proteins involved in the effectiveness of immunotherapy against blood cancerResearchers at a FAPESP-supported research center have discovered 14 proteins that could be targets for improving CAR-T cell-based therapies.