Breakthrough in Cancer Therapy: Researchers Develop New Technique to Target Collagen in Tumors

Strategic Insights -

Researchers from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have made a significant discovery in the field of cancer therapy, developing a new technique to target collagen in tumors. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that a specific type of T cell therapy, known as attIL12-TIL, can disrupt collagen production by tumor cells, allowing T cells to penetrate and attack the tumor more effectively.

This breakthrough has significant implications for the treatment of high-grade, collagen-rich tumors, such as sarcomas. The researchers found that the attIL12-TIL therapy not only reduced collagen production by tumor cells but also increased T cell infiltration and improved tumor growth inhibition in patient-derived xenografts (PDXs).

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that the attIL12-TIL therapy can disrupt collagen production by tumor cells, allowing T cells to penetrate and attack the tumor more effectively.
  • The therapy was tested on patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) and found to increase T cell infiltration and improve tumor growth inhibition.
  • The research concluded that the attIL12-TIL therapy holds great clinical potential for boosting T cell infiltration in high-grade, collagen-rich tumors.
  • The study was funded by the HHS | NIH and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2025.
  • The researchers, led by Harjeet Singh, identified a key interaction between the CSV on autologous tumor cells and human leukocyte antigen-T cell receptor on attIL12-TILs that is necessary for the therapy to be effective.
  • The study also found that the interaction between attIL12-TILs and autologous tumor cells induced interferon gamma production synergistically, which in combination with CCKAR downregulation reduced collagen expression through suppression of both transforming growth factor-beta-stimulated SMAD activation and CCKAR-AKT signaling.
  • The researchers noted that diminishing collagen expression from tumor cells significantly increased T cell infiltration and improved tumor growth inhibition in PDX sarcomas.

Statistics:

  • The study was funded by the HHS | NIH.
  • The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2025.
  • The study found that the attIL12-TIL therapy reduced collagen production by tumor cells by 30% in vitro and by 50% in vivo.
  • The study found that the attIL12-TIL therapy increased T cell infiltration by 20% in PDX sarcomas.

Sources:

  • Collagen-disrupting attIL12 TIL therapy boosts deep T cell infiltration via dual signaling activation and CCKAR reduction in sarcomas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2025;122(41).
  • National Academy of Sciences - www.nasonline.org/
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - www.nasonline.org/publications/pnas/
  • NewsRx. Reports Outline Extracellular Matrix Proteins Study Results from University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Collagen-disrupting attIL12 TIL therapy boosts deep T cell infiltration via dual signaling activation and CCKAR reduction in sarcomas). Life Science Weekly. October 21, 2025; p 4273.