Researchers Identify an Immune Cell That Can Attack Cancer

City of Hope have discovered that a type of immune cell in the human body known to be important for allergy and other immune responses can also attack cancer. In addition, these cells, called human type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), can be expanded outside of the body and applied in larger numbers to overpower a tumor’s defenses and eliminate malignant cells in mouse models with cancer.

“The City of Hope team has identified human ILC2 cells as a new member of the cell family capable of directly killing all types of cancers, including blood cancers and solid tumors,” said Jianhua Yu, PhD, a professor in the Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation at City of Hope and the study’s senior author. “In the future, these cells could be manufactured, preserved by freezing and then administered to patients. Unlike T cell-based therapies like CAR T cells, which necessitate using the patient’s own cells due to their specific characteristics, ILC2s might be sourced from healthy donors, presenting a distinct potential therapeutic approach as an allogeneic and ‘off-the-shelf’ product.”

Previous research focused on mouse ILC2s had not consistently shown promise when tested for their cancer-killing abilities. However, in the highly translational labs at City of Hope, researchers prioritized the examination of human cells and found that human ILC2s do not work the same as mouse ILC2s.

The researchers plan to continue to work with their collaborators to understand and learn more about human ILC2s now that they know the cells are assassins. “We aim to really expand the applications of these findings, potentially beyond cancer treatments,” Dr. Yu said, noting that ILC2s may even work against viruses such as COVID-19. “Additionally, we are working toward translating our discovery into tangible clinical benefits.”