April 02, 2026
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have discovered that a protein normally confined inside cells, called Src, is present on the surface of malignant cancer cells but absent from healthy tissues. Published in Science, this finding reveals a previously unrecognized mechanism by which cancer cells externalize internal proteins, potentially creating new targets for immunotherapy.
While studying cell-surface proteins, biologist Jim Wells observed Src in an unexpected location. Typically involved in intracellular signaling, Src appeared “accidentally” on the membrane of cancer cells. The selective presence of this protein on tumor cells suggests it could serve as a highly specific biomarker for immune-based therapies, enabling the immune system to distinguish malignant cells from normal tissue.
This discovery is significant because identifying tumor-specific targets has long been a major challenge for developing effective immunotherapies against solid tumors. By exposing proteins like Src on their surface, cancer cells may inadvertently reveal vulnerabilities that can be exploited to direct antibodies, CAR-T cells, or other immune interventions precisely to malignant tissue, minimizing off-target effects.
SOURCE: https://www.statnews.com/2026/03/12/cancer-researchers-new-immunology-target-oncogene-src/
CREDITS: STAT NEWS