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KWF funded the Unique High Risk project (call 2023-2 EXPL) of Lenneke Cornelissen (PI, Researcher in Talent Track) and Gosse Adema (both from Radiotherapy and OncoImmunology lab).
Unique High Risk projects offer the possibility for researchers to perform short-term preparatory work to test new ideas with high protentional for breakthroughs in science or the fight against cancer.
Background
The T cell is an immune cell subset highly effective in eliminating cancer cells. Tumor cells, however, acquire all sorts of tricks to avoid being killed by T cells. Directly or indirectly targeting T cells occupies a solid position in cancer immunotherapies but, the response rate remains below ~30%. The efficacy of cancer immunotherapies is dictated by T cell infiltration and their ability to sustain their function. Like every other cell, the T cell membrane is covered with glycan structures, the so-called glycocalyx. Protein and cells require these glycan structures to function properly. Whether tumor cells affect glycan structures present on T cells has, however, not extensively studied before and may reveal a novel immune escape strategy acquired by tumor cells.
The study
The overall aim of this Unique High Risk project is to investigate how tumor cells influence the T cell glycocalyx and to link these changes in glycan structures to T cell activity and functions. The results obtained in this project may reveal new mechanisms by which tumor cells are able to hamper or shut down the ability of T cells to kill cancer cells. Reversal of these effects can have major implications for cancer treatment.
