Immunomodularity exercise applications in glioma-associated myeloid cells. Credit score: Charles Couturier, McGill College
Swelling attributable to mind most cancers is a significant issue that may result in critical unintended effects and even dying. Whereas controlling swelling is vital, a brand new examine exhibits {that a} generally prescribed anti-swelling drug suppresses the immune system for weeks after dosage, inhibiting the physique’s potential to battle the most cancers.
A world crew of scientists from Canada and the US checked out myeloid cells in mind most cancers sufferers. These cells make up a big a part of mind most cancers tumors and have been proven to play a task in immunosuppression.
The paper, titled “Programs, Origins, and Immunomodulatory Functions of Myeloid Cells in Gliomas,” was revealed in Nature.
The researchers used single-cell and spatial transcriptomics on myeloid cells from over 100 mind tumors to find out how they have an effect on immune response to most cancers. Single-cell transcriptomics reveal how RNA is expressed in a cell, hinting at its operate, whereas spatial transcriptomics reveals how these cells are positioned throughout the tissues.
The researchers found a constant group of cells inside mind most cancers, the place every kind of myeloid cell was present in particular areas tailor-made to its position.
Notably, they discovered two forms of immunosuppressive myeloid cells within the tumors: one linked to areas of useless tissue whereas the opposite linked to anti-swelling remedy. In sufferers who had been given dexamethasone, these cells had a considerably greater immunosuppressive impact than those that had not, and the impact was stronger because the dosage elevated.
Scientists then uncovered in any other case non-immunosuppressive myeloid cells to dexamethasone and located that they rapidly turned immunosuppressive. The impact was long-lasting, remaining weeks after the drug was final given.
In some most cancers sufferers, docs prescribe therapies that strengthen the physique’s immune response to the malignant cells, utilizing them to battle the most cancers. This examine exhibits that dexamethasone, a drug generally prescribed in all mind most cancers sufferers, could also be inhibiting that response, even when that drug was final given weeks earlier than immunotherapy begins.
“Doctors should ask themselves if dexamethasone is truly needed in each case it’s prescribed,” says Dr. Charles Couturier, a neurosurgeon-scientist at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) of McGill College and one of many examine’s lead authors.
“It is important to balance the need to reduce swelling with the need for a healthy immune response. We need to start developing alternatives to dexamethasone that do not inhibit immune response in patients.”
Extra data:
Bradley Bernstein, Packages, origins and immunomodulatory capabilities of myeloid cells in glioma, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08633-8. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08633-8
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Anti-swelling drug hinders mind most cancers immunotherapy, examine suggests (2025, February 26)
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