New Targeted Therapy Discovered for Ovarian Cancer by Researchers

Recent research conducted by scientists at The Wistar Institute has uncovered a promising new therapeutic approach for treating ovarian cancer. The study focuses on a specific structural feature in the retinoblastoma protein, known as the cleft in its LxCxE pocket. By selectively targeting this cleft, researchers found they could disable tumor-supporting macrophages—immune cells that aid in creating a protective environment for cancer cells—without affecting the cancer-suppressing functions of the protein.

This discovery challenges previous assumptions, since retinoblastoma protein is traditionally recognized for its role in suppressing tumor growth. Surprisingly, blocking a particular part of the protein can deplete the macrophages that help tumors evade immune responses, thereby making cancer cells more vulnerable.

Senior author Dr. Luis Montaner explained that this represents a first-in-class therapeutic target for solid tumors like ovarian cancer. His team’s research, which spanned over a decade, initially emerged from HIV studies examining macrophage survival, leading to the insight that similar mechanisms operate in cancer-supporting macrophages.

The research involved lab experiments and animal models, showing that disrupting this structural cleft resulted in tumor shrinkage, opening new avenues for immunotherapy enhancement. Importantly, this approach could be combined with existing treatments to potentially improve patient outcomes.

As Dr. Montaner emphasized, the findings exemplify how interdisciplinary research—here, stemming from HIV studies—can create breakthroughs in oncology. The team plans further investigations into how this target might influence other cancers such as pancreatic cancer and acute myeloid leukemia, with hopes of developing combination therapies for more effective cancer control.

Overall, this innovative discovery provides a novel pathway to counteract immune suppression in ovarian cancer, offering hope for more targeted and effective treatments in the future.