Functional antibodies have become important tools for investigating the intricate tumour microenvironment (TME) and advancing next generation immunotherapies. Tumours do not exist in isolation; they develop within a highly dynamic ecosystem made up of immune, stromal, and vascular cells, as well as a diverse array of cytokines and immune checkpoints (1). Researchers now recognise that the TME influences nearly every stage of cancer biology, from early tumour initiation to metastatic spread.
A major consequence of this environment is immune dysregulation. Growing tumours can disrupt normal immune communication, fuelling chronic inflammation that accelerates disease progression and contributes to resistance against treatment (1)(2).
The TME also facilitates immune escape. Myeloid cells, for instance, secrete suppressive factors such as IL10 and TGFβ to dampen T-cell and natural killer cell activity. They can also promote inflammation through IL1β, TNFα, and IL6, and express PD-L1, a critical checkpoint molecule that shields cancer cells from immune detection (1).
The TME: a challenge for experimental design, but a gateway to discovery
Historically, preclinical cancer models that overlook the TME have shown limited predictive power. A clear example is the use of subcutaneous cell line-derived xenografts (CDX), where human tumour cells are implanted beneath the skin of mice (3). Because these models lack the organ specific microenvironment of the original tumour, their translational success rate is low. Only about 3-5% of drugs developed with CDX models ultimately receive FDA approval. This has led to an increased emphasis on designing models that accurately capture the complexity of the TME.
Accounting for the full biological context of the TME in immunotherapy development is challenging, but doing so opens the door to breakthroughs that would otherwise remain hidden.
A major obstacle is the inherent trade-off between biological realism and experimental control (3). In vivo models better reproduce the natural TME but are harder to manipulate, while simpler in vitro systems allow precise perturbation but lack microenvironmental diversity. Functional antibodies bridge this gap: they offer targeted control over TME components in both animal and advanced non-animal systems, enabling sophisticated interrogation of immune interactions.
Functional antibodies as tools to explore the tumour microenvironment
Bio X Cell provides a broad collection of ready to use functional antibodies that are widely adopted for TME research, as demonstrated by thousands of peer reviewed studies. Its catalogue includes reagents that deplete, neutralise, block, or modulate various immune cell subsets, cytokines, and checkpoint pathways involved in cancer biology.
Commonly used examples include:
- Anti-C-D25 to remove regulatory T cells
- Anti-Gr1 to target myeloid-derived suppressor cells
- Anti-CSF1R to influence macrophage behaviour
These tools allow researchers to dissect how specific immune populations contribute to tumour development and immunity.
Scientists can also inhibit immunosuppressive cytokine signalling with reagents such as anti-TGFβ or anti-IL10R, or activate costimulatory pathways using agonistic antibodies like anti-41BB or anti-CD40.
Such research needs reagents that perform reliably in living systems. Bio X Cell’s functional antibodies are engineered for in vivo and advanced in vitro use, emphasising high purity, minimal endotoxin levels, and formulations free of stabilisers or preservatives. With these robust tools, researchers can continue to unravel the complex biology of the tumour microenvironment.
Discover more about how Bio X Cell's in vivo antibodies and anti-mouse PD-1 clones can support immuno-oncology research, or contact our specialists with any queries.
References
- de Visser KE and Joyce JA. The evolving tumour microenvironment: From cancer initiation to metastatic outgrowth. Cancer Cell. 2023;41(3):374–403.
- Zhao H, et al. Inflammation and tumour progression: signaling pathways and targeted intervention. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2021;6:263.
- Crouigneau R, et al. Mimicking and analyzing the tumour microenvironment. Cell Rep Methods. 2024;4(10):100866
This article was adapted from Bio X Cell's original content.