Destroying the camouflage of cancer cells.

Cancerous tumors and their metastases are an insidious enemy, as they can cleverly camouflage themselves from the body's defense. Since cancer cells are very difficult to distinguish from healthy tissue, the immune system usually remains inactive. Our white blood cells simply do not recognize the threat.

To help them do so, scientists at the Helmholtz center Dresden-Rossendorf are working on so-called bispecific antibodies and genetically modified immune cells, or CAR T cells. In both cases, artificially produced proteins cross-link the body's own immune cells with the tumor cells.

These so-called linker proteins offer two differently designed docking stations, similar to a Lego brick. With one side, they attach themselves to special structures on the surface of the immune cells. Their other side binds to the cancer cells, thus attracting the previously inactive defenses forces to the tumor. And via the cross-connection, toxins from the immune system can now enter the cancer cell, which ultimately destroys it.

After intensive research, the scientists from Dresden have now reached an important milestone. They are now testing their therapeutic approach on patients suffering from leukemia or prostate cancer.

(Photo: HZDR / Sahneweiß / Kjpargeter, Freepik)