A team of scientists from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Navarra’s Cima and Pompeu Fabra University, has identified molecules that could aid in the creation of cancer vaccines. The results of their research have been published in the scientific journal Science Advances.
Microproteins, which are small proteins produced exclusively by tumor cells, have been identified as potential targets for immunotherapy. The researchers analyzed data from tumors and healthy tissues to locate microproteins encoded by genes previously thought incapable of coding for proteins.
This breakthrough was achieved through the use of computational methods such as transcriptomics, translatomics, and proteomics. Additionally, the researchers conducted laboratory experiments to study the immune response.
The development of cancer vaccines is based on the immune system’s ability to recognize foreign molecules. Cancer tumors release peptides altered by mutations, which are recognized by the immune system, triggering a protective response. Some tumors are characterized by a low mutation rate but continue to release significant amounts of specific microproteins.
Unlike patient-specific mutation-based vaccines, this treatment is more universal because the same microprotein can be present in different individuals.
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