Immunotherapy
This type of treatment uses the immune system to target and kill cancer cells. However some cancers are resistant to immunotherapy
T-cells are a type of immune cell that protects the body from infection. T-cells destroy virally infected cells and cancer cells
Infected
cell
T-cell
(immune cell)
Cancer cells produce a molecule which stops T-cells from recognising them as a threat – allowing the cancer to grow
Connection reads
as a non-threat
The immunotherapy drug attaches itself to T-cells, blocking the cancer's ability to hide. It is then attacked and destroyed
Connection
blocked
DNA hypomethylating agents
They work by switching off an enzyme called DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) which prevents gene transcription
Gene transcription includes genes involved in the immune response
DNA
Hypomethylating
drug
C
G
A
C
A
T
C
G
C
G
Gene
transcription
stopped
G
C
T
G
T
A
G
C
G
C
Methyl groups
The hypomethylating agent works by removing methyl groups...
Methyl groups removed
C
G
A
C
A
T
C
G
C
G
G
C
T
G
T
A
G
C
G
C
...which allows gene transcription to continue including genes that increase immunotherapy response
C
G
A
C
A
T
C
G
C
G
Gene
transcription
resumes
G
C
T
G
T
A
G
C
G
C
Immunotherapy
This type of treatment uses the immune system to target and kill cancer cells. However some cancers are resistant to immunotherapy
DNA hypomethylating agents
They work by switching off an enzyme called DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) which prevents gene transcription
T-cells are a type of immune cell that protects the body from infection. T-cells destroy virally infected cells and cancer cells
Gene transcription includes genes involved in the immune response
DNA
Hypomethylating
drug
Infected
cell
T-cell
(immune cell)
C
G
A
C
A
T
C
G
C
G
Gene
transcription
stopped
G
C
T
G
T
A
G
C
G
C
Methyl groups
Cancer cells produce a molecule which stops T-cells from recognising them as a threat – allowing the cancer to grow
The hypomethylating agent works by removing methyl groups...
Methyl groups removed
Connection reads
as a non-threat
C
G
A
C
A
T
C
G
C
G
G
C
T
G
T
A
G
C
G
C
The immunotherapy drug attaches itself to T-cells, blocking the cancer's ability to hide. It is then attacked and destroyed
...which allows gene transcription to continue including genes that increase immunotherapy response
Connection
blocked
C
G
A
C
A
T
C
G
C
G
Gene
transcription
resumes
G
C
T
G
T
A
G
C
G
C