Titles and Affiliations
Assistant Professor
Department of Immunology
American Association for Cancer Research
Research Area
Improving immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer.
Impact
Despite recent advances, most triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients face limited options beyond chemotherapy, with high relapse rates and worse outcomes compared to other breast cancer types. MICA is a stress-induced protein that can attract immune cells that recognize and eliminate cancer cells, but tumors can also shed MICA to evade immune cells. Counterintuitively, high MICA expression often indicates a poor prognosis, potentially due to the stressed tumor environment. Dr. Fuertes’ AACR research supported by BCRF aims to target MICA to enhance anti-tumor immune activity, ultimately expanding the therapeutic options for TNBC.
Progress Thus Far
Dr. Fuertes and her team developed a highly potent antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that binds to MICA and helps the immune system identify and destroy cancer cells. They are evaluating it both as an immunotherapy and as a targeted drug delivery system carrying a highly potent anti-cancer agent directly to tumor cells. In laboratory studies, the antibody successfully helped immune cells eliminate TNBC cells. In breast cancer models, combining this antibody with immune checkpoint therapy prevented the development of metastases and completely eliminated established tumors in nearly half of experiments. Analyzing the immune cells involved in tumor control, the team found that successful treatment activates both early and long-lasting immune responses and reduces the immune cells that normally suppress anti-tumor immunity. The team has also begun analyzing blood and tumor samples from patients with TNBC to evaluate how these findings translate to the clinical setting.
What’s Next
Building on these findings, Dr. Fuertes and her team will continue advancing the anti-MICA ADC into model testing and further investigate the molecular mechanisms that distinguish complete tumor rejection from partial response. Because MICA is expressed in several types of breast cancer and other solid tumors, this strategy has the potential to benefit a broader group of patients beyond TNBC.
Biography
Mercedes Fuertes, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Immunology and Independent Researcher at CONICET, Argentina. She received her PhD from the University of Buenos Aires and completed her postdoctoral training in tumor immunology at the University of Chicago. Her research focuses on understanding the dynamics of cancer-immune system interactions and the interplay between innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune responses, with the goal of developing novel immunotherapeutic strategies to treat cancer.
