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🧬 Scientists Discover the Hidden Cause Behind Cancer Immunotherapy FailureIn a groundbreaking study, researchers at Ohio State University have uncovered why cancer immunotherapy often stops working — and how to fix it. The team found that T cells, the immune system’s main cancer-fighting soldiers, collapse under a wave of misfolded proteins that trigger a newly identified stress pathway called TexPSR (proteotoxic stress response in T-cell exhaustion).Unlike normal cellular stress systems that slow protein production to restore balance, TexPSR speeds it up, flooding T cells with toxic protein buildup. This overload effectively poisons the cells, leaving them too “exhausted” to attack tumors. Scientists liken it to a kind of proteotoxic shock, similar to the protein clumping seen in Alzheimer’s disease.When researchers blocked key drivers of TexPSR in lab models, the T cells regained strength — and cancer immunotherapy became significantly more effective. The study, described as “paradigm-shifting,” highlights protein quality control as a long-overlooked factor in immune failure.High TexPSR levels in cancer patients were also linked to poor immunotherapy outcomes, suggesting a new way to identify and treat resistant cancers. By targeting this hidden stress pathway, scientists believe it may be possible to supercharge the immune system and revive treatments that once failed.This discovery opens a new frontier in cancer research — one that could transform the future of immunotherapy and give exhausted immune cells a second chance to fight back.Follow Science Sphere for regular scientific updates 📄 RESEARCH PAPER 📌 Wang, Y., Ma, A., Song, NJ. et al. Proteotoxic stress response drives T cell exhaustion and immune evasion. Nature (2025)