Insight

Susanna F. Greer: You aren’t going to believe what V Foundation researchers have discovered this ‘time…’

Photo from Susanna F. Greer/LinkedIn

Jun 9, 2024, 15:05

Susanna F. Greer: You aren’t going to believe what V Foundation researchers have discovered this ‘time…’

Susanna F. Greer, Chief Scientific Officer at The V Foundation for Cancer Research, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“This week’s Cool Cancer Find introduces us to the circadian clock, our body’s internal timekeeper, which plays a crucial role in how your immune system works.

This study comes from the V Foundation grantee Dr. Selma Masri from the University of California, Irvine who published “Circadian control of tumor immunosuppression affects efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade” in Nature Immunology.

This is one of the COOLEST papers I have read in a long time!

The circadian clock helps regulate when certain immune cells become active, which is important for defending against infections and fighting cancer.

Imagine this clock as the conductor of an orchestra, ensuring that each instrument (or immune cell in this case…) plays at the right time for a harmonious performance. Understanding this clock can make cancer treatments more effective, which is where Dr. Masri’s research comes in.

The Masri team found that the activity of immune cells changes throughout the day. Immune cells that can suppress the immune system’s ability to attack cancer peak at certain times in and around tumors. This discovery is important because it suggests that the timing of cancer treatments could be crucial.

Susanna F. Greer

Dr. Masri’s lab discovered that when the circadian clock in intestinal cells is disrupted, it leads to increased inflammation and the presence of more suppressive immune cells, making it harder for the immune system to fight cancer.

However, by timing the administration of a cancer treatment called anti-PD-L1 therapy to when these suppressive cells are least abundant, they significantly improved its effectiveness. (!)

Colorectal cancer is a major health challenge worldwide, especially among young adults. Traditional treatments like chemotherapy can be harsh and have significant side effects.

Immunotherapy, which boosts the body’s natural defenses to fight cancer, has shown promise but doesn’t work for everyone. Dr. Masri’s research suggests that timing immunotherapy treatments can make them more effective.

This concept, known as “chronomedicine,” is like planning your activities for the best time of day. Just as you might perform better at work in the morning and sleep better at night, administering cancer treatments at the right time can also improve their success and reduce side effects.

This VERY cool study shows that the body’s internal clock influences the immune system’s ability to fight cancer. Timing cancer treatments in sync with this clock can enhance their effectiveness.

This discovery opens new possibilities for improving cancer treatments, offering hope for better outcomes for colorectal cancer patients and potentially those with other types of cancer as well. Congratulations Dr. Masri-incredible work!

You can find the Masri team here and read their paper here.”