Researchers Identify Immune 'Off Switch' Exploited by Cancer Cells

Mayo Clinic researchers identified a protein called TRAILshort that acts as an immune 'off switch,' preventing T cells from attacking cancer and virus-infected cells.

Elevated levels of TRAILshort were detected in various conditions, including melanoma, lung, breast, and ovarian cancers, as well as COVID-19, tuberculosis, and HIV.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggests that blocking this protein could improve the effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy and other immunotherapies.