Neutrophils are important cells in the immune system, produced in very large numbers in the bone marrow. When in circulation they patrol blood vessels and tissues seeking out sources of disease or damage to regulate inflammatory and immune responses.
However, though neutrophils are active in ovarian cancer they play a complex role - sometimes supporting tumour growth and other times fighting against it.
Irina Udalova, Professor of Molecular Immunology explained: ‘We know that neutrophils are heterogenous dynamic cells that can display both anti-tumour and pro-tumour activity, but their role in the ovarian cancer is not well understood. We teamed up with Prof Iain McNeish, Head of the Division of Cancer in Imperial College, London, to identify distinct subsets of neutrophils and their functions in the ovarian cancer, as well as their interactions with the tumour microenvironment. This is our first foray into the cancer immunology field, expedited by Sarah’s great enthusiasm and former training in the McNeish lab.
We are grateful to CRUK for funding this research and for catalysing new collaborations in cancer immunology space.’
Ovarian cancer is a deadly disease, with a 5-year survival rate of only 15% for late-stage cases. It has been shown that a high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio leads to a poor prognosis, but previous clinical trials aimed at blocking the immune checkpoints have failed to prevent disease progression.
Irina and her team will use advanced techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing and multiplex imaging to create the first transcriptional blueprint of neutrophil heterogeneity in ovarian tumour samples. They hope to identify new ways to manipulate these immune cells to fight the disease more effectively, leading to new targeted therapies.
Sarah Spear, Postdoctoral Researcher in Innate Immunity and Inflammation and Research Co-Investigator who recently joined the Udalova Group to explore this new avenue of research said: ‘Irina's team are experts in neutrophil biology, and I came to Oxford to learn from them and apply this expertise into ovarian cancer research. Ultimately, this research could help create more effective treatments that harness the immune system to fight cancer, offering new hope for patients in the future.’