Researchers identify protein and enzyme mechanisms to combat cancer and inflammation

Scientists have made two distinct biological breakthroughs regarding immune system regulation. Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Medicine have identified the protein dual-specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4), which plays a critical role in preventing CD8+ T cells from becoming exhausted within tumors. In laboratory models, the presence of DUSP4 helped these cancer-fighting cells maintain their ability to multiply and attack colorectal cancer cells. This discovery suggests potential ways to enhance CAR-T cell therapies, which are currently limited by the tendency of immune cells to lose effectiveness when targeting solid tumors.

Separately, researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have resolved a 30-year-old mystery involving the signaling molecule 5-oxoETE. By utilizing zebrafish models, the team identified a long-unknown enzyme responsible for both producing and breaking down this fatty acid. This enzyme acts as a regulatory mechanism that directs immune cells to infections while simultaneously preventing the inflammatory response from damaging healthy tissue. The findings may offer new pathways for treating inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and various cancers.