Developing a new localised immunotherapy for advanced prostate cancer

Grant information

Institution – King's College London
Researchers – Dr. Christine Galustian
Grant award - £49,932
Duration of funding – 2013-2014
Status - Complete
Reference – PA12-01

Why did we fund this project?

• Current treatments for prostate cancer can have some serious side effects and can quickly stop working.
• An alternative therapy with fewer side effects could be through boosting our own body’s immune system to seek out and clear prostate cancer, known as immunotherapy.
• Prostate cancer tumours can have internal environments called microenvironments which allows them to block the entry of immune cells, and escape the body’s immune system.
• This project aimed to modify the cytokine protein, IL-15, which could help immune cells infiltrate the resistant microenvironment and kill the prostate tumour.

The project in a nutshell

• The team aimed to create modified proteins which can ‘stick’ to nearby prostate cancer cells and boost the body’s immune system.
• A mix of 'sticky' proteins were found to reduce prostate cancer tumour size and growth whilst leaving healthy cells alone.
• The team are continuing the work from this grant in a clinical trial.

What did the team do?

• The team modified the IL-15 protein by attaching a ‘sticky tail’ which allowed it to stick to nearby cells.
• They grew prostate cancer cells together with immune cells and added the sticky IL-15 to see whether it activates the immune cells to target and kill prostate cancer cells.

What did the team achieve?

• The team were able to successfully modify and attach the ‘sticky tail’ to IL-15, and the proteins which protect the healthy cells.
• Sticky IL-15 was able to stimulate immune cells better than unchanged IL-15 proteins.
• The mix of the sticky IL-15 and protective proteins was found to reduce prostate cancer tumour size and growth.

How will this benefit men?

• Prostate cancer can become resistant to current therapies, with therapies also leading to adverse side-effects to men.
• This study proposes a new way to target prostate cancer through boosting our body’s immune cells which could have less side effects to men.