Researchers have developed a CRISPR-based tool that restores mRNA length in prostate cancer cells, potentially making "immune cold" tumors more visible to the immune system.
Key facts
- •The study was published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.
- •The experimental CRISPR Cas13 system was engineered to bind to mRNA rather than cut it.
- •Researchers observed no detectable off-target effects from the treatment in their preclinical model.
- •The team is now planning to test the technology in pancreatic cancer with pilot funding.
- •The research was funded by the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health.
Scientists have developed an experimental RNA-targeting technology that may increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy for prostate cancer. By using a CRISPR-based system to modify mRNA in cancer cells, researchers successfully made tumors more visible to immune cells in laboratory studies. The findings, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, demonstrate that this approach can improve the response of prostate tumors to immune checkpoint therapy in mice.
Targeting Immune Cold Tumors
Prostate tumors are often classified as "immune cold" because they attract few T cells, which are necessary for immunotherapy to function. This resistance is linked to the loss of the MHC-1 complex, a molecular signal that helps T cells identify tumor cells. The loss of this complex is driven by an overabundance of the SPSB1 protein, which is produced because the mRNA carrying its instructions is shortened in prostate cancer cells.
Restoring Immune Recognition
The research team, led by scientists from Duke University School of Medicine, utilized a CRISPR Cas13 system to restore the normal length of the SPSB1 mRNA. Instead of cutting the RNA, the tool binds to a specific section of the molecule to prevent the shortening process. By maintaining the mRNA at its normal length, the production of the SPSB1 protein is reduced, allowing the MHC-1 complex to return and making the tumor more susceptible to immune checkpoint therapy.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by ScienceDaily.
