Scientists from the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) collaborated with Essen and discovered stem cells of the hematopoietic system in glioblastomas.
Glioblastomas are a very common brain tumour in adults. They grow into healthy brain tissue so it is almost impossible to completely remove them surgically. The process needs a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Even immunotherapies, which have some positive effects on certain types of cancer, have not affected these malignant brain tissues until now. Glioblastomas create a strong immune system that produces antibodies, and in the vicinity of tumours with enabling certain types of cells to suppress the immune defense. Cellular formation of glioblastomas was needed to overcome the tumour-related defenses using appropriate therapeutic methods. Certain observations have also spot lighted that stem cells found in blood have a negative impact on the disease. They suppress the immune system and at the same time promote growth. When researchers enlarge the cells that is linked to a tumor in a single vessels of glioblastoma cells, the division of the cancer cells found to be increasing.
To address the challenge, scientists from DKTK have come up with the hematopoietic system of stem cells. DKTK is a joint organization focused on the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) in Heidenberg, with long-run collaborations with specified oncological centres at German Universities. The hematopoietic stem cells induce the breakdown of cancer cells and simultaneously suppress the body's immune response. The hematopoietic cells produce a large amount of PD-L1 molecule, also known as "brake immune", on its surface. In the presence of these cells, cancer cells form a network of cellular processes that are attached to them. This amazing discovery is expected to be a new opportunity to develop efficient immune therapies against malignant brain tissues.