Researchers have found that inhibiting SOX17 could be a potential way to target colon cancer in its early stages. By interfering with the suppression mechanisms cancer cells use to evade the immune system, researchers have demonstrated a potential basis for therapy. However, the success of this approach will depend on finding an economically viable method for SOX17 inhibition and determining if it is a viable target for other forms of cancer.
Colon cancer typically originates from intestinal stem cells that regenerate the lining of the intestines. To understand how precancerous growths avoid the immune system, researchers created mini colon tumors in a lab dish with mutated cancer-linked genes and implanted them into mice. They discovered that increased expression of SOX17 in these tumors creates an immunosuppressive environment by preventing cells from responding to interferon gamma, a key immune system molecule. Knocking out SOX17 in colon tumor organoids allowed the immune system to effectively target the tumors, suggesting that targeting SOX17 could be a potential treatment for early-stage colon cancer. The researchers also found that SOX17 expression tends to decrease as colon tumors become more invasive and metastatic.
For more information, you can visit the link: https://news.mit.edu/2024/how-early-stage-cancer-cells-hide-immune-system-0228
