Potential new therapeutic target identified for the treatment of colorectal cancer
19.12.2025
A research group from the Department of Biology at the University of Padua, led by Professor Gaia Codolo, has identified a potential new therapeutic target for the treatment of colorectal cancer. The target is the immune receptor CD300e, which is expressed by specific immune system cells present in the tumor microenvironment. The research was supported by the AIRC Foundation for Cancer Research.
The findings, published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, show that CD300e helps direct macrophages—cells of the innate immune system—toward a state that promotes tumor growth and reduces the effectiveness of the immune response. Inhibiting or silencing this receptor could therefore reactivate immune defenses and enhance the effectiveness of currently available immunotherapies.
“We discovered that CD300e is strongly induced by signals produced by the tumor itself, which reprogram macrophages, making them less capable of supporting T-cell responses,” comments Professor Gaia Codolo, the study coordinator. T cells are another fundamental component of the immune system and are involved, among other functions, in the recognition and elimination of cancer cells. “Identifying CD300e as one of the key regulators of this process opens up new perspectives for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies,” Codolo adds.
The first authors of the paper, Annica Barizza and Stefania Vassallo—both researchers at the Department of Biology of the University of Padua—led the most complex experimental phases of the project.
“It was a demanding project, literally started from scratch,” explains Annica Barizza. “We had to build the entire experimental system step by step in order to identify the role of CD300e.”
“We were struck,” adds Stefania Vassallo, “by observing that interfering with this receptor could profoundly alter the behavior of immune cells. This immediately suggested that we were looking at something highly significant.”
“Collaboration with clinicians, bioinformaticians, and researchers from other disciplines was essential,” concludes Codolo. “The complexity of tumors requires integrated approaches capable of combining immunological, molecular, and omics data.”
The researchers emphasize that CD300e could represent a promising target for developing treatments aimed at reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages and making the tumor microenvironment more conducive to an effective immune response. The ultimate goal is to determine whether a CD300e-targeted treatment could be integrated with currently used immunotherapies, improving their effectiveness, especially in patients who do not respond to existing treatments.
The study involved collaboration with the Department of Cardio-Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health of the University of Padua, the Veneto Oncology Institute (IOV) in Padua, the Department of Molecular Medicine at Sapienza University of Rome, and the Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine at the University of Brescia.
