Scientists have found significant differences in how PD-1 works between humans and rodents, casting doubt on the use of common lab models for testing cancer therapies.
Researchers at UC San Diego studied the evolutionary history of PD-1, a key player in cancer treatment, to understand its mechanism. They discovered that rodent PD-1 is significantly weaker than human PD-1, with differences in amino acid sequences affecting its function.
These findings have implications for developing effective treatments and models for testing medicines. Further studies will assess the impact of PD-1 on T-cell activity against tumors in humans.
The researchers’ analysis suggests that evolutionary adaptations may be responsible for the weakness of rodent PD-1, which could affect the efficacy of cancer therapies developed using mouse models. The study’s results challenge current assumptions about the similarity between human and rodent biology and highlight the need for more accurate models to develop effective treatments.
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/breakthrough-discovery-reveals-hidden-flaws-in-cancer-research-models