Caro De Haes

Breast cancer is the most common cancer type in women worldwide and especially aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a frequent cause of death in this population. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) treatment, such as anti-programmed death-1 and anti-programmed death ligand-1 (PD-1 and PD-L1), also often fails in TNBC patients due to the immunosuppressed state of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Alleviation of this undesired TME state by targeting cancer-related proteins that fuel immunosuppressive cells is regarded as a promising strategy to enhance ICB efficacy. My research primarily focuses on lipocalin-2 (LCN2) as a potential immunosuppressive target in the context of TNBC. To study this protein, I use an immunocompetent intraductal mouse model for TNBC that has been characterized in our group and relies on the injection of triple-negative mouse mammary tumor cells through the teat canal into the mammary duct of syngeneic and lactating female mice. I’m also studying LCN2 and related immunosuppressive targets in the TME of canine and feline mammary tumors. Indeed, since dogs and cats show spontaneous mammary tumor development and are exposed to similar environmental conditions as their owners, they are a potential alternative model for studying human breast cancer. 
 

• Chitin-mediated blockade of chitinase-like proteins reduces tumor immunosuppression, inhibits lymphatic metastasis and enhances anti-PD-1 efficacy in complementary TNBC models. Breast Cancer Research, 26(1), 63. (doi: 10.1186/s13058-024-01815-8; PMID: 38605414)
   

• Lab address: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Salisburylaan 133, entrance 24, 2nd floor, 9820 Merelbeke
• Biochemistry lab  
• LinkedIn
• VON – Veterinary Oncology Network
• Our team you provides services for other researchers: immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, preclinical modeling, proteomics, in vitro culture, lentiviral transfection
• Caro De Haes is interested to receive invitations for presentations or talks