2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: A Revolution in Cancer Immunotherapy
1 Outubro 2018
Escrito por Francisco H. C. FelixThe 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo, for their groundbreaking discoveries in the field of cancer immunotherapy.
Allison and Honjo, working independently, made fundamental discoveries about how the immune system can be used to fight cancer.
Their research has led to the development of new treatments that have revolutionized cancer treatment and offered hope for patients with diseases previously considered incurable.
James Allison, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center in the United States, was studying the role of a cell surface receptor called CTLA-4 in immunity.
He discovered that CTLA-4 acts as a “brake” on the immune system, preventing T lymphocytes, immune system cells, from attacking cancer cells.
Allison then developed an antibody that blocks CTLA-4, releasing the “brake” and allowing the immune system to attack cancer cells.
Meanwhile, Tasuku Honjo, of Kyoto University in Japan, was researching another cell surface receptor called PD-1, which also functions as a “brake” on the immune system.
Honjo discovered that PD-1 is expressed in cancer cells and that its interaction with the PD-L1 receptor, present on immune cells, inhibits the immune response against the tumor.
Honjo developed an antibody that blocks the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1, allowing the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
The pioneering work of Allison and Honjo, which led to the development of drugs like ipilimumab (which blocks CTLA-4) and nivolumab (which blocks PD-1), ushered in a new era in cancer immunotherapy.
Immunotherapy has become one of the most promising areas of medical research, offering a new arsenal of weapons to fight cancer.
The 2018 Nobel Prize recognizes the fundamental importance of the discoveries of Allison and Honjo, which have transformed cancer treatment and opened new perspectives for the future of medicine.