(Press-News.org)
Cancer cells carry thousands of mutations, but not all mutations are created equal. Some make tumors highly visible to the immune system, while others help cancers hide. In this study, researchers have discovered that across thousands of human cancers, there are five dominant patterns of protein-altering mutations — called amino acid substitution signatures — and these patterns help determine how tumors interact with the immune system.
When DNA in a cell is damaged by environmental exposures (like tobacco smoke or UV light) or internal errors during replication and repair, the resulting mutations change the building blocks of proteins — amino acids. By analyzing nearly 9,300 cancer genomes from diverse cancer types, the team found that instead of a random jumble of changes, nearly all tumors are dominated by one of five characteristic substitution signatures.
Crucially, these five signatures are not only molecular fingerprints of how the mutations arose — they also influence how well the immune system “sees” the tumor. Some mutation patterns tend to create highly immunogenic protein fragments (neoantigens) that alert immune cells, while others produce less recognizable neoantigens, leading to “cold” tumors that evade immune attack.
“Despite the diversity of mutational processes, their protein-level consequences converge into just five recurring fingerprints, which can strongly influence immune recognition,” says Dr. Szilvia Juhász, Head of the Cancer Microbiome Research Group at HCEMM and one of the study’s lead authors.
One of the most striking findings involves a mutational pattern linked to DNA repair defects and chemical exposures. Tumours dominated by this pattern often respond poorly to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies, even when their overall mutational burden is high. In other words, a tumour can harbour many mutations and still generate too few effective immune targets.
“Mutational burden alone is insufficient. Qualitative, protein-level consequences of mutations are critical for understanding why immunotherapy fails in many patients,” emphasizes Dr. Benjamin Papp, researcher at the HUN-REN Szeged Biological Research Centre and co–first author of the study.
However, the study also shows that certain genetic variants in the human immune system — such as specific HLA class I types common in Europeans — can partially counteract this effect by better presenting some of these mutated peptides to T cells. This suggests that the same tumour may be more immunologically visible in one patient than in another.
Taken together, the findings point toward a more refined framework for predicting immunotherapy response. “Tumour visibility to the immune system is not determined by mutation numbers alone, but also by the protein-level patterns those mutations create,” says Dr. Máté Manczinger, Head of the Systems Immunology Research Group at the HUN-REN Szeged Biological Research Centre and senior author of the study. “These findings support a new framework for truly personalized immunotherapy, integrating tumor genomics with the patient’s immunogenetic background,”
Beyond scientific insight, the work also carries broader societal relevance. More accurate prediction of therapy response could help reduce unnecessary treatments, limit avoidable side effects, and shorten the time needed to identify effective therapies for individual patients.
The study was carried out through a close collaboration between the Systems Immunology Research Group at the HUN-REN Szeged Biological Research Centre, the HCEMM Cancer Microbiome Research Group, and contributions from the Evolutionary Systems Biology Research Group led by Csaba Pál.
The HCEMM program is funded by an H2020 Teaming Grant (where Semmelweis University, the University of Szeged and the HUN-REN Biological Research Center in Szeged cooperate with their advanced partner, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany) and a Thematic Excellence award, as well as a National Laboratory award from the Hungarian Government.
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Autism has long been viewed as a condition that predominantly affects male individuals, but a study from Sweden published by The BMJ shows that autism may actually occur at comparable rates among male and female individuals.
The results show a clear female catch-up effect during adolescence, which the researchers say highlights the need to investigate why female individuals receive diagnoses later than male individuals.
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased over the past three decades, with a high male-to-female diagnosis ratio of around 4:1.
The increase in prevalence is thought to ...
Testing menstrual blood for human papillomavirus (HPV) could be a “robust alternative or replacement” for current cervical cancer screening by a clinician, finds a study from China published by The BMJ today.
The researchers say using menstrual blood for HPV testing is convenient and non-invasive, allowing women to collect samples at home, and therefore could offer a practical pathway to expand access to screening.
Certain types of HPV infection can develop into cervical cancer and HPV testing is a key part of cervical screening. But not all women attend screening appointments for reasons including fear of pain, concerns about privacy and ...
More images available via the link in the Notes Section
Summary:
Some Argentinian penguins are experiencing high levels of predation from pumas recolonising their historical territory. A new study has quantified the risk on long-term penguin population survival.
Over four years, pumas at a national park on the Argentinian Patagonia coast are thought to have killed over 7,000 adult penguins (7.6% of the colony’s adult population) – but left many uneaten.
Long-term, however, puma predation alone is unlikely to threaten colony viability, while low breeding success and reduced juvenile survival appear to be ...
IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON PRESS RELEASE
Under embargo until 00:01 GMT Thursday 5 February
Peer-reviewed / Observational study / People
Exposure to burn injuries played key role in shaping human evolution, study suggests
Humans’ exposure to high temperature burn injuries may have played an important role in our evolutionary development, shaping how our bodies heal, fight infection, and sometimes fail under extreme injury, according to new research.
For ...
ANN ARBOR—The fastest land animal in North America is the American pronghorn, and previously, researchers thought it evolved its speed because of pressure from the now-extinct American cheetah.
But recently, that theory has come under fire. Now, a University of Michigan study examining fossilized ankle bones of ancient relatives of the American pronghorn has shown that the pronghorn was evolving to be faster more than 5 million years before the American cheetah appeared on the continent. The study, ...
Scientists have developed an improved method to convert municipal wastewater sludge into higher quality renewable fuel while significantly reducing harmful nitrogen compounds, offering a promising pathway for cleaner energy and sustainable waste management.
Municipal sludge is a by-product of wastewater treatment that is produced in massive quantities worldwide. Managing this material remains a growing environmental challenge. Traditional treatment methods often involve high costs, pollution risks, and limited resource recovery. ...
A new study reveals that soil acidity plays a critical role in determining how wheat competes with soil microorganisms for nitrogen, a nutrient essential for plant growth and global food production. The findings provide new insight into how farmers may optimize nitrogen use efficiency and improve crop productivity by considering soil chemical conditions.
Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients limiting plant growth worldwide. Plants typically absorb nitrogen from the soil in two primary forms: ammonium and nitrate. However, plants are not the only organisms that rely on these nutrients. Soil microorganisms ...
Researchers have developed a new algae-based biochar material that shows remarkable ability to break down perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), one of the most persistent and hazardous members of the PFAS chemical family. The new material combines advanced nanotechnology with sustainable biomass resources and may provide a promising strategy for removing difficult contaminants from water.
The study, published in Biochar, introduces a unique photocatalytic nanoreactor constructed from biochar derived from Ulva, a common marine algae. The material forms a cage-like structure ...
Washington (Feb. 4, 2026) -- Radiologists are struggling to balance the pressure to provide high-quality, high-volume care while training the next generation of physicians.
With this in mind, the Journal of the American College of Radiology's Focus on Economics of Education issue explores a range of related topics, including radiology education funding, resident teaching while maintaining productivity, alternative approaches to resident education, trends in radiology residency applications, and investing in radiology medical education in the pre-clinical years.
“Healthcare delivery is changing rapidly, leading to alterations in how radiologists function ...
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4:00 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2026
Highlights:
Following a Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower risk of all types of stroke among women, according to a new study.
The study does not prove that the diet causes the lower risk; it only shows an association.
Women with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean diet were 18% less likely to experience any stroke, including a 16% lower risk of ischemic stroke and a 25% lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes high intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, fish, ...
