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| Wile E. Coyote is finally going to have something to eat. And, it's not Road Runner. |
Flash!!!
This from Stanford University Medical Center:
Researchers have tapped into inter-cellular conversations between good cells, (white blood cells) the “scavenger cells” called macrophages. Here is what they heard… "You are doomed, bad, bad cancer cell! I'll never give up until all you bad guys are gone!" (more)
OK. I just imagined all this. But, the research is valid and a major breakthrough, made by really smart people at Stanford University Medical Center. Here’s the real story…
A second biological pathway that signals immune cells not to
engulf and kill cancer cells has been identified by researchers at the Stanford
University School of Medicine.
An antibody that blocks the "don't eat me" signal
has shown promise as a cancer treatment in animal models and is currently in
clinical trials. Combining that antibody, known as anti-CD47, with another that
blocks this newly discovered pathway could further enhance the ability of the
immune system to eradicate many types of cancers, the researchers believe.
"The development of cancer cells triggers the
generation of SOS molecules recognized by the body's scavenger cells, called
macrophages," said Irving Weissman, MD, the director of Stanford's
Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and also of its
Ludwig Cancer Center. "However, aggressive cancers express a 'don't eat
me' signal in the form of CD47 on their surfaces. Now we've identified a second
'don't eat me' signal and its complementary receptor on macrophages. We've also
shown that we can overcome this signal with specific antibodies and restore the
ability of macrophages to kill the cancer cells."
But, remember our Wile E. Coyote is a good guy! He's just hungry and I admire his "never-give-up" 'tude.
Wile E. Coyote on Night Court
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