British scientists are developing a treatment which could significantly boost patients ’ ability to fight off cancer , they revealed last night . A team led by Imperial College London has already applied to patent the therapy , which they say could be ready for human trials within three years . The scientists discovered a protein which helps boost the body ’ s immune system ten-fold , an astonishing effect which could help patients fight off cancers and viruses . The protein promotes the production of immune cells called cytotoxic T-cells , which have the ability to detect cancerous cells , hunt them down , and destroy them . The protein promotes the production of immune cells called cytotoxic T-cells , which have the ability to detect cancerous cells , hunt them down , and destroy them . In a chance discovery in mice , it was found that a previously unknown protein - which they named the lymphocyte expansion molecule or LEM - dramatically boosted the body ’ s number of T-cells . They are now developing a gene therapy that would boost the production of LEM proteins , in turn increasing the number of T-cells available to attack cancer cells . The therapy , revealed in the international journal Science last night , would use the existing T-cells taken from individual patients . The patient ’ s cells would be removed , modified with the insertion of LEM-producing genes , and then infused back into the patients via a drip , probably on four occasions over two months . It might also be used to treat other viruses , they said . The development , which also involved researchers from Queen Mary University of London , ETH Zurich in Switzerland and Harvard Medical School in the US , has already been six years in the making . Cytotoxic T-cells are an important component of the immune system , but when faced with serious infections or advanced cancer , they are usually unable to mobilise in large enough quantities to fight the disease . In a chance discovery in mice , it was found that a previously unknown protein - which they named the lymphocyte expansion molecule or LEM - dramatically boosted the body ’ s number of T-cells . By screening mice with genetic mutations , the Imperial team discovered a strain of mice that produced ten times as many cytotoxic T-cells when infected with a virus , compared with normal mice . The discovery was unexpected because the new protein had no known function and resembles no other protein known to science . But the mice suppressed infections more effectively and were far more resistant to cancer . They also produced more of a second type of T-cells , memory cells , enabling them to recognise infections they have encountered previously and launch a rapid response . In further experiments the scientists went on to show that the LEM molecule had a similar impact on the human immune system . A team led by Imperial College London ( pictured ) has already applied to patent the therapy , which they say could be ready for human trials within three years . Study leader Professor Philip Ashton-Rickardt of Imperial College , said : ‘ Cancer cells have ways to suppress T-cell activity , helping them to escape the immune system . ‘ Genetically engineering T cells to augment their ability to fight cancer has been a goal for some time and techniques for modifying them already exist . ‘ By introducing an active version of the LEM gene into the T-cells of cancer patients , we hope we can provide a robust treatment for patients . ‘ Next we will test the therapy in mice , make sure it is safe and see if it can be combined with other therapies . The treatment would be relatively expensive because it would effectively be personalised each time , relying on an extraction of the patient ’ s own cells . ‘ If all goes well , we hope to be ready to carry out human trials in about three years. ’ He said gene therapy would initially be used to treat patients with advanced cancer . The treatment would be relatively expensive because it would effectively be personalised each time , relying on an extraction of the patient ’ s own cells . But he insisted the cost would be manageable , given the significant benefits it could bring . Imperial College has already filed two patents for the technology , and a spin-off company called ImmunarT has been formed with the aim of commercialising the therapy . Dr Mike Turner of the Wellcome Trust , which helped fund the research , said : ‘ The discovery of a protein that could boost the immune response to not only cancer , but also to viruses , is a fascinating one . ‘ Further investigation in animal models is needed before human trials can commence , but there is potential for a new type of treatment that capitalises on the immune system ’ s innate ability to detect and kill abnormal cells . ’
Treatment developed by British team could boost ability to fight cancer . Imperial College London say human trials of therapy could begin in about three years . Protein discovered could boost immune system ten times to fight cancer . The chance discovery made when unknown molecule was found in mice .