Nathalie Demotte
Scientist
Ludwig Center at Brussels
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
Belgium
Biography
I joined the Brussels Branch of the Ludwig Institute in 1997. At first I worked on the identification of tumor antigens recognized by T cells. More recently, I have focused on T cell dysfunction. I have shown that galectin-3, a lectin binding to glycoproteins at the surface of T cells, is responsible for deficient effector functions of T cells in a tumor environment. The release of galectins by galectin antagonists or an anti-galectin-3 antibody boosts cytokine secretion. A clinical trial has been initiated on the basis of these results. Melanoma patients receive a peptide vaccine combined with a systemic injection of a galectin antagonist. We are preparing another clinical trial with ovarian cancer patients.
Research Interest
Tumor biology, signalling, tumor therapeutics
Publications
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Restoring the association of the T cell receptor with CD8 reverses anergy in human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Demotte N, Stroobant V, Courtoy PJ, Van Der Smissen P, Colau D, Luescher IF, Hivroz C, Nicaise J, Squifflet JL, Mourad M, Godelaine D, Boon T, van der Bruggen P. Immunity. 2008, 28:414-24
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A galectin-3 ligand corrects the impaired function of human CD4 and CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and favors tumor rejection in mice. Demotte N, Wieërs G, Van Der Smissen P, Moser M, Schmidt CW, Thielemans K, Squifflet J-L, Weynand B, Carrasco J, Lurquin C, Courtoy PJ, van der Bruggen P. Cancer Res. 2010, 70:7476-88
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Petit AE, Demotte N, Scheid B, Wildmann C, Bigirimana R, Gordon-Alonso M, Carrasco J, Valitutti S, Godelaine D, van der Bruggen P. A major secretory defect of tumour-infiltrating T lymphocytes due to galectin impairing LFA-1-mediated synapse completion. Nature Communications. 2016 Jul 22;7:12242.
