TIMP-1, is a protein that helps the immune system in the fight against cancer. Some recent developments in cancer research come from observing already existin
g parts in the immune system of the human body. Of course, the immune system has always had a system to battle cancer cells within the body, such as the form of white blood cells called T-cells. According to Stony Brook Cancer Center, these special white blood cells identify cancer as “foreign” bodies, which prompts the T-cells to attack the cancerous cells. However, these blood cells are not the only line of defense that the immune system is against the battle of cancer. Not long ago, researchers at the University of Turku in Finland identified a new function of an already existing protein within the human body. The protein, TIMP-1, is known to protect the body’s cells and tissues and prevent any damage from foreign bodies, but another function was discovered quite recently that connects to the body’s protection from cancer. TIMP-1 is produced by dendritic cells, which are cells that initiate immune responses and enhance the body’s ability to identify and eliminate cancer cells. The protein itself is similar to a catalyst in a reaction, as it activates other immune cells, and
According to ScienceDaily it also enhances antitumor immunity. With this breakthrough, a new perspective in cancer research has emerged with promising results. This perspective is how treatment can enhance the body’s response to cancer and foreign bodies without directly affecting the body through side effects. According to Carlos Rogerio Figueiredo, increasing TIMP-1 expression can improve current cancer immunotherapies, as better immune system responses can allow for weaker cancer cells and more effective treatments. His research at InFLAMES Flagship, which is a joint initiative of the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University and has the goal of creating new diagnostic and therapeutic tools through immunological and immunology-related studies, shows findings that are also relevant to fighting infections by viruses and bacteria.
Increasing TIMP-1 expression can lead to a stronger immune response to a multitude of pathogens, including cancer cells. The results from the study came from samples from the Finnish Auria Biobank, and these studies were fortified and validated with biochemical and immunological tools. With the discovery of how the increase of TIMP-1 expression can increase cancer defense within the immune system, further research on how the human body itself can stop cancer has been supported by studies such as this. The human immune system is much stronger than once thought, and the future only holds potential for the strength that it harbors against diseases.
source: University of Turku. (2024, June 14). New and crucial role discovered for a protein in the
body immunity against cancer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 15, 2024 from
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240614141839.htm#:~:text=Researchers%20at%20the%20University%20of,immune%20system%20 defense%20against%20 cancer.
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