Scientists in Australia have developed a first-of-its-kind catalog of pediatric cancers, offering new insights for creating targeted immunotherapies for young patients.
The Children’s Cancer Model Atlas (CCMA), based at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research, contains more than 400 high-risk pediatric cancer cell lines — the largest collection of its kind worldwide — for AI-driven treatment testing and analysis, the institute said Monday.
The CCMA aims to accelerate the discovery of new therapies and biomarkers by mapping high-potential immune targets in childhood cancers.
Current treatments often respond poorly compared to adult-style immunotherapies and can leave lasting side effects on children’s developing bodies.
Researchers analyzed over 200 cell lines in the CCMA’s collection to identify each one’s HLA (human leukocyte antigens) type and potential neoantigens presented to the immune system.
HLAs are proteins that help the immune system distinguish between “self” and “non-self.”
“Using this information, we predicted which neoantigens each cancer model might produce and present,” said senior author Claire Xin Sun of the Hudson Institute and Monash University. “Neoantigens are small, abnormal protein pieces formed when cancer cells mutate, and different HLA types can present different neoantigens to the immune system.”
Published in iScience, the study highlights which tumors have actionable antigens, making them strong candidates for safer, more effective immunotherapies.