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0The research identifies a novel cancer-fighting mechanism where CD4+ T cells eliminate tumors by attacking their blood supply rather than the cancer cells themselves. By recognizing tumor antigens, these T cells secrete interleukin-3 (IL-3), which recruits and programs macrophages to form dense clusters around intratumoral vessels. These specialized macrophages then release tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a potent cytokine that causes severe vascular damage to endothelial cells and pericytes. This localized destruction of the circulatory network starves the tumor of oxygen and nutrients, triggering widespread hypoxia and subsequent cell death. Significantly, this process functions independently of other immune cells and bypasses the need for direct T cell-to-tumor contact. These findings offer a promising blueprint for immunotherapies designed to dismantle the protective environments that often shield cancers from conventional treatments.
References:
Lian Q, Nie J, Singh J, et al. CD4+ T cells impair tumor growth through IL-3 and TNF-dependent vascular damage[J]. Science, 2026, 392(6804): eads7910.
