KAIST researchers find vitamin A derivative prevents immune cell exhaustion in brain tumors

A research team led by Professor Heung Kyu Lee at KAIST has discovered that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a derivative of vitamin A, can prevent the exhaustion of immune cells in brain tumors.

In aggressive cancers like glioblastoma, CD8+ T cells often undergo “terminal exhaustion” after prolonged exposure to tumor cells, losing their ability to kill cancer cells. This exhaustion limits the effectiveness of existing treatments, such as anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Working in collaboration with researchers from Seoul St. Mary's Hospital and Konyang University College of Medicine, the team found that ATRA suppresses this terminal exhaustion, potentially enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy in treating intractable brain cancers.