text: British scientists are developing a treatment which could significantly boost patients’ ability to fight off cancer, they revealed last night. A team led by Imperial College London has already applied to patent the therapy, which they say could be ready for human trials within three years. The scientists discovered a protein which helps boost the body’s immune system ten-fold, an astonishing effect which could help patients fight off cancers and viruses. The protein promotes the production of immune cells called cytotoxic T-cells, which have the ability to detect cancerous cells, hunt them down, and destroy them . The protein promotes the production of immune cells called cytotoxic T-cells, which have the ability to detect cancerous cells, hunt them down, and destroy them. In a chance discovery in mice, it was found that a previously unknown protein - which they named the lymphocyte expansion molecule or LEM - dramatically boosted the body’s number of T-cells. They are now developing a gene therapy that would boost the production of LEM proteins, in turn increasing the number of T-cells available to attack cancer cells. The therapy, revealed in the international journal Science last night, would use the existing T-cells taken from individual patients. The patient’s cells would be removed, modified with the insertion of LEM-producing genes, and then infused back into the patients via a drip, probably on four occasions over two months. It might also be used to treat other viruses, they said. The development, which also involved researchers from Queen Mary University of London, ETH Zurich in Switzerland and Harvard Medical School in the US, has already been six years in the making. Cytotoxic T-cells are an important component of the immune system, but when faced with serious infections or advanced cancer, they are usually unable to mobilise in large enough quantities to fight the disease. In a chance discovery in mice, it was found that a previously unknown protein - which they named the lymphocyte expansion molecule or LEM - dramatically boosted the body’s number of T-cells . By screening mice with genetic mutations, the Imperial team discovered a strain of mice that produced ten times as many cytotoxic T-cells when infected with a virus, compared with normal mice. The discovery was unexpected because the new protein had no known function and resembles no other protein known to science. But the mice suppressed infections more effectively and were far more resistant to cancer. They also produced more of a second type of T-cells, memory cells, enabling them to recognise infections they have encountered previously and launch a rapid response. In further experiments the scientists went on to show that the LEM molecule had a similar impact on the human immune system. A team led by Imperial College London (pictured) has already applied to patent the therapy, which they say could be ready for human trials within three years . Study leader Professor Philip Ashton-Rickardt of Imperial College, said: ‘Cancer cells have ways to suppress T-cell activity, helping them to escape the immune system. ‘Genetically engineering T cells to augment their ability to fight cancer has been a goal for some time and techniques for modifying them already exist. ‘By introducing an active version of the LEM gene into the T-cells of cancer patients, we hope we can provide a robust treatment for patients. ‘Next we will test the therapy in mice, make sure it is safe and see if it can be combined with other therapies. The treatment would be relatively expensive because it would effectively be personalised each time, relying on an extraction of the patient’s own cells . ‘If all goes well, we hope to be ready to carry out human trials in about three years.’ He said gene therapy would initially be used to treat patients with advanced cancer. The treatment would be relatively expensive because it would effectively be personalised each time, relying on an extraction of the patient’s own cells. But he insisted the cost would be manageable, given the significant benefits it could bring. Imperial College has already filed two patents for the technology, and a spin-off company called ImmunarT has been formed with the aim of commercialising the therapy. Dr Mike Turner of the Wellcome Trust, which helped fund the research, said: ‘The discovery of a protein that could boost the immune response to not only cancer, but also to viruses, is a fascinating one. ‘Further investigation in animal models is needed before human trials can commence, but there is potential for a new type of treatment that capitalises on the immune system’s innate ability to detect and kill abnormal cells.’
target: Treatment developed by British team could boost ability to fight cancer .
  Imperial College London say human trials of therapy could begin in 3 years .
  Protein discovered could boost immune system ten times to fight cancer .
  The chance discovery made when unknown molecule was found in mice .