This discovery opens up new perspectives for the early detection of cancer, the development of more effective immunological therapies, and the targeted delivery of drugs to tumour cells," says Filipa Marcelo, a researcher at FCT UNL.
An international study led by a researcher from Universidade NOVA has revealed how the immune system recognises changes in the sugars of tumour cells, allowing for drugs to be targeted in a different way.
"This discovery opens up new perspectives for the early detection of cancer, the development of therapies that strengthen the immune system's response, and the targeted delivery of drugs to tumour cells," specified the NOVA School of Science and Technology in a statement.
According to the NOVA School of Science and Technology, the research—which involved scientists from Portugal, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden—showed how the immune system identifies tumour cells.
According to the researchers, these changes act as "cancer signals".
"The MGL protein, which is essential in immunological recognition, reacts differently depending on its organisation: in isolation, it binds to a specific type of sugar, but within the cell, it can identify several types, functioning as a true 'universal detector' of tumour cells," the study's authors specify.
The study combines chemical, structural, and cellular approaches to analyse the interaction between MGL and tumour glycans, revealing that the protein’s cellular organisation and the presentation of sugars on the cell surface are decisive for recognition by the immune system.
"The results offer new clues for the early detection of cancer and for the development of more precise therapies," they add.
"We discovered that it is not just the type of sugar that matters, but also how the immune receptor is organised within the cell. This insight could transform the way we design molecules to modulate the immune response or target drugs to tumour cells," explains researcher Filipa Marcelo, as quoted in the statement.
