Published in Science Immunology, the study identifies the RNA helicase DDX6 as a previously unrecognized “hidden switch” that prevents the immune system from recognizing cancer cells. Targeting DDX6 could make tumors more visible to the immune system, improving existing or new immunotherapies.

Helping the immune system recognize cancer

Our immune system is constantly searching for abnormal cells, including cancer cells. One of the warning signals it looks for is double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which is produced naturally within cells. Because these molecules resemble RNA produced during viral infections, they can trigger the innate immune system, which is the body’s first line of defense against foreign or abnormal cells.