Publication Alert: Dr. Oren Parnas on the Immune System and Pancreatic Cancer

A study co-authored by former ICRF grantee Dr. Oren Parnas of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem was funded in part by his ICRF Acceleration Grant. The research examines how two types of immune cells interact in pancreatic cancer. Some immune cells help fight cancer, while others suppress the immune response, allowing tumors to grow.

Using advanced technologies to study individual cells and their locations within tumors, the researchers found that regulatory T cells (Tregs) and dendritic cells (DCs) interact in ways that may reinforce the tumor’s ability to evade immune attack. Tregs can prompt dendritic cells to adopt a regulatory state that suppresses immune activity, while these dendritic cells, in turn, help Tregs multiply and become more active.

The team also identified two signaling molecules, IL-15 and TNFSF11, that may help drive this feedback loop. Blocking these signals could potentially weaken the tumor’s immunosuppressive environment while preserving the activity of CD8 T cells, which can kill cancer cells. These findings point to potential new strategies for improving immune-based treatments for pancreatic cancer.

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