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Salvatore Valitutti, director of Inserm research at the Cancer Research Center in Toulouse, has just obtained an ERC Synergy, a prestigious European grant. In all, nearly € 10 million is awarded to four international teams over a 6-year period. They will work around the same project: better understand the production, traffic, composition and action of SMAPs, mini bombs that kill tumors.
To better understand the weapons of the immune system and those of tumors in order to eventually develop a winning tactic against cancer … Salvatore Valitutti has been studying the biology of human cytotoxic T lymphocytes for thirty years. It is for this experience that this specialist and his team from the Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT) have just received an ERC Synergy, a prestigious European grant. Like three other laboratories (English, German and Italian) engaged in the same research project, Salvatore Valitutti will receive 2.5 million euros over six years to carry out his research.
The fight between the immune system and tumors
“There is a constant struggle between our immune system and the aggressors which are viruses, bacteria, explains the scientist. Tumors are a little more difficult to detect. And the response of our immune system is not always effective. It is a real war plan being put in place! “
The immune system, on the one hand, produces cytotoxic T lymphocytes which they leave in contact with the tumor. “These are real soldiers who will attack tumors”, continues Salvatore Valitutti. But the latter have the characteristic of developing a clamshell mechanism. Deceptive messages are sent to deceive the enemy. You have to imagine Russian and American submarines during the Cold War. Modern immunotherapy tries to awaken the immune system to break down the barriers “.
Mini bombs against tumors
One of the avenues to be explored was unearthed by an Oxford researcher. “He discovered supramolecular attack particles (SMAPs) that kill target cells,” explains Salvatore Valitutti. They act like small bombs and allow you to kill from a distance. With them, we hope to be able to fly under the radar to attack tumors. “
Thanks to European funding, the four science teams based in Germany, Toulouse, Italy and the UK will combine their diverse expertise to understand the biosynthesis, structure and function of these particles and develop biotechnology to improve SMAPs in modified T cells. .
“The award of this scholarship is based on scientific excellence and the ability of the laboratories to work in synergy. This is an important recognition that could have useful benefits for all of Europe, concludes the researcher from Toulouse. Finally, new therapeutic approaches can be developed. We are optimistic, but it will take time, probably four or five years. “
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