(Ivanhoe Newsire) -- New approaches to gene therapy have been found that help eradicate brain tumors and boost the power of the immune system.

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles found that HMGB1, a protein released from deteriorating tumor cells, activates dendritic cells and stimulates anti-tumor responses by attaching to an inflammatory receptor known as toll-like receptor 2, TLR2.

Evidence shows that toll receptors are responsible for not only recognizing bacterial components, but also prompting a response against tumors.

The combined gene therapeutic approach works by releasing tumor protein, HMGB1, which activates TLR2, resulting in the activation and expansion of tumor-antigen cells. The result of the new therapy: regression of brain tumors and increased survival time by six months.

"The discovery of a central role for HMGB1 and TLR2 in overcoming immune ignorance to brain tumor antigens provides a new therapeutic approach in the fight against brain tumors," Pedro Lowenstein, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Gene Therapeutics Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai, was quoted as saying. Traditional approaches to cancer treatment, such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, have fallen short of providing improvements for long term survival. Immunotherapy, the eradication of brain cancer cells by using the patient's immune system, is the future.

The new gene therapy has only been tested in laboratory and animal studies but testing in a human clinical trial will take place later this year.

SOURCE: PLoS Medicine, January 13, 2009