Researchers at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) have uncovered a mechanism that enables persister tumor cells to evade the immune system and resist cancer treatments. Unlike senescent cells, which enter a permanent non-dividing state and are highly inflammatory, persister cells adopt a temporary dormant state. These cells utilize an epigenetic “molecular lock” to silence genes responsible for inflammation, preventing the activation of immune responses that would typically target and eliminate them. This discovery sheds light on how persister cells survive post-therapy and contribute to cancer recurrence.
The study, led by Dr. Manuel Serrano and first-authored by Dr. Valentina Ramponi, suggests that disrupting this epigenetic silencing could render persister cells vulnerable to immune detection and destruction. Experimental inhibition of the molecular lock reactivated inflammatory gene expression, compromising the viability of these cells. This finding opens avenues for developing targeted therapies aimed at preventing cancer relapse by specifically eliminating persister cells. Dr. Serrano emphasizes the potential of this approach, stating that leveraging the identified weakness in persister cells could lead to more effective cancer treatments. Click for More Details
