A new hope for preventing and treating colorectal cancer

A research team at National Taiwan University has developed a new stem cell-based vaccine that could help prevent and treat colorectal cancer.

In a study published in Theranostics, Prof. Tzu-Tang Wei and colleagues from the Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, highlight the potential of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) as a vaccine against colorectal cancer.

Their research demonstrates that iPSC-based vaccines can both prevent and treat colorectal cancer, offering new insights for cancer immunotherapy and vaccine development.

iPSCs are versatile cells created by reprogramming adult cells using genetic techniques. They have shown promise in regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug discovery. Prof. Wei’s team found that cell lysates derived from iPSCs, combined with an immune-stimulating agent called CpG, can effectively prevent and slow colorectal cancer growth in mouse models.

Further analyses using mass spectrometry and computer simulations identified two proteins, HNRNPU and NCL, which are highly expressed in both iPSCs and colorectal cancer cells but not in normal cells.

Laboratory and animal experiments confirmed that these proteins can be presented by dendritic cells to activate T cells, thereby triggering a strong immune response against colorectal cancer.

“Our findings suggest that using iPSC-derived materials can train the immune system to recognize and fight colorectal cancer cells early on,” says Prof. Tzu-Tang Wei.

Graduate students Si-Han Jwo, Shang-Kok Ng, and Chin-Tzu Li contributed equally as co-first authors.