Researchers have discovered a new way that Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) hides from the immune system.
Scientists had long believed that a protein called CD47 was the main signal preventing immune cells from attacking leukemia. However, this study found that CD47 plays a weaker role in humans than expected, which may explain why drugs targeting it have had limited success in clinical trials.
Instead, the researchers identified CD43 as the key factor. CD43 is a large, sugar-coated protein on the surface of leukemia cells that acts like a physical shield. Its size and structure make it difficult for immune cells, such as macrophages, to attach to and destroy the cancer cells.
This protective barrier also blocks other immune defenses, including natural killer cells and T cells, making it a powerful, broad defense system for the cancer. The findings suggest that targeting CD43 or the processes that create its sugar coating could open a new path for treating AML by making cancer cells more vulnerable to immunotherapy.