A missing protein may keep immune cells quiet in DIPG tumors
Original title: Integrated multi-omics identifies lineage-dependent myeloid cells recruitment and the APP-CD74 axis as an immunoregulatory target in pediatric high-grade glioma.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done on cells in a lab, not in people. It is a very early step.
This was only done on donated tissue and cells in a dish.
The short version
Scientists found one possible reason the immune system stays quiet in this childhood brain tumor.
What was studied. Researchers studied tumor tissue from 26 people with DIPG after death. They also studied cells from eight patients and 46 childhood brain tumor cell lines.
What they found. The tumors pulled in immune cells called macrophages. A protein called APP was much lower in tumor tissue than in normal brain. The team added APP to macrophages in a dish. The cells turned active and inflamed.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This points to one way the tumor may hold the immune system back. If this signal holds up, it could become a target for new drugs one day.
What it doesn't mean: This is early lab work on tissue and cells in a dish. No one was treated with anything new. It does not mean a drug is coming soon, and it is not a cure. Much more testing would be needed first.
Source: PubMed, September 22, 2026 · Read the original
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