Study finds protein critical to T cell metabolism, anti-tumour immune response

Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre have discovered that a protein called NF-Kappa B-inducing Kinase(NIK) is essential for the shift in metabolic activity that occurs with T-cell activation ,making it a critical factor in regulating the anti-tumor immune response. The pre clinical research ,published today in Nature Immunology ,suggests that elevating Nik activity in T cells may be a promising strategy to enhance the effectiveness of immuno therapy,including adoptive cellular therapies and immune checkpoint blockade.