Researchers at the University of Turku in Finland have found a new function for an existing protein. They discovered that TIMP-1, a protein traditionally known to prevent damage to the body’s cells and tissues, plays a critical role in the immune system’s defense against cancer. The study’s findings could improve the effectiveness of current cancer immunotherapies.
TIMP-1 protein is produced by dendritic cells, which are responsible for initiating immune responses and enhancing the immune system’s ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells. The protein enhances anti-tumor immunity through self-stimulation and by activating surrounding immune cells. As a result, increasing TIMP-1 expression or targeting its negative regulators in tumors with inadequate immune responses could potentially improve the efficacy of current cancer immunotherapies.
For patients lacking TIMP-1 expression, our discovery helps create rational therapeutic innovations.”
Carlos Rogerio Figueiredo, Docent and InFLAMES researcher at the University of Turku
According to Figueiredo, the new findings are also relevant to fighting viral and bacterial infections, as the process is part of a global mechanism that fights microbes and cancer in a similar way.
The study used samples from Finland’s Auria Biobank for clinically oriented discoveries, which were further validated with the latest biochemical and immunological tools to suggest a new molecular view of how the body fights cancer. Figueiredo thanks the patients as well as Oncologist Maria Sundvall and Pathologist Eva-Maria Birkman from Turku University Hospital for their important contributions to this project.
“Published research shows how the reverse translation method works in practice. Traditional translational research typically begins with basic laboratory discoveries, which are later tested on patients in clinical trials. The reverse translation approach, on the other hand, starts with real-world data from patient samples to directing focused laboratory studies, thereby enhancing the likelihood of success when applied to patients,” explains Figueiredo.
Figueiredo heads the Medical Immuno-Oncology Research Group (MIORG) at the University of Turku School of Medicine, which is affiliated with the Turku Life Sciences Center and is supported by the Research Council of Finland, the InFLAMES Flagship, the Sigrid Juselius Foundation and Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation.
The findings of the study were published in the journal Genes & Immunitywhich is part of the Nature Portfolio series.
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Journal Reference:
Langguth, M., et al. (2024). TIMP-1 is an activator of MHC-I expression in myeloid dendritic cells with implications for tumor immunogenicity. Genes & Immunity. doi.org/10.1038/s41435-024-00274-7.
