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[HEALTH] · Italy, United States · 33 sources

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Fondazione Nibit researchers identify mechanism for melanoma immunotherapy resistance

Researchers from Fondazione Nibit have identified a biological mechanism that allows certain metastatic melanoma cells to evade the immune system. Published in Science Advances, the study reveals that non-responsive cells change their identity, regressing to an immature, highly plastic state to survive immunotherapy attacks.

The study, known as Nibit-M4, involved 19 patients treated with a sequence of the epigenetic drug guadecitabine followed by the immunotherapy ipilimumab. While long-term results showed approximately 29% of patients remained alive five years after starting treatment, researchers sought to understand why some patients failed to respond.

Analysis showed that resistant cells tend to cluster in compact areas at the center of the tumor mass, creating a protective geometric structure that stabilizes their behavior. The research identified the protein NFATC2 as a potential key target to prevent such immunotherapy resistance.

Entities

Fondazione NIBIT · Michele Maio · NFATC2 · NFATC2 protein · Science Advances · University of Miami · University of Siena · guadecitabine · ipilimumab

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