Tumors Can Hide p53 Neoantigens from T Cells, Study Finds

Mutations in the tumor suppressor TP53 are among the most common genetic alterations in cancer, making mutant p53 an attractive target for personalized immunotherapies. However, new research suggests that identifying a tumor mutation may be only the first step toward finding an effective T-cell target.

Researchers led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School found that tumors can actively restrict the presentation of p53-derived neoantigens on their surface, allowing cancer cells to evade T-cell recognition. The findings, published in Immunity , also identify antigen-processing mechanisms that could potentially be manipulated to make tumors more visible to the immune system.