Salmonella is expected to increase the immune response of the organism attacked by cancer as part of a therapeutic vaccine. Research on such a vaccine is carried out by the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, the Daily Tech website informed.
According to Maria Rescigno from the European Institute of Oncology, the research is already very advanced, we have performed experiments on mice and on cancer cells taken from human patients and found that salmonella is able to increase the body’s immune response and help it fight cancer cells. We are ready to test the vaccine on patients, we are only waiting for authorization – she told Daily Tech.
Salmonella, which is a non-disease-causing strain in humans, serves as a specific marker of cancerous cells in the body which will then be destroyed by the immune response system. This is due to the connexin 43 protein.
This protein is responsible for small communication channels between different cell types. According to the researchers, these tiny channels allow protein peptides to enter the cells of the immune system and act as a red flag for the immune system to trigger the body’s response.
Researchers have been testing the most invasive form of skin cancer, melanoma, for which no treatment has yet been found. Researchers say it will also be applicable to other types of cancer, such as prostate cancer (PAP).