0000000000757272
AUTHOR
Cristina Maccalli
Human NK cells selective targeting of colon cancer-initiating cells: a role for natural cytotoxicity receptors and MHC class I molecules
Abstract Tumor cell populations have been recently proposed to be composed of two compartments: tumor-initiating cells characterized by a slow and asymmetrical growth, and the “differentiated” cancer cells with a fast and symmetrical growth. Cancer stem cells or cancer-initiating cells (CICs) play a crucial role in tumor recurrence. The resistance of CICs to drugs and irradiation often allows them to survive traditional therapy. NK cells are potent cytotoxic lymphocytes that can recognize tumor cells. In this study, we have analyzed the NK cell recognition of tumor target cells derived from the two cancer cell compartments of colon adenocarcinoma lesions. Our data demonstrate that freshly p…
Resistance of Cancer Stem Cells to Cell-Mediated Immune Responses
In the past decades, the hierarchical organization of tumors, governed by Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs), have been reported with regard to several tumor types. Advances in sequencing technologies have demonstrated that diverse genetic CSCs subclones, derived from the branching evolution, compete with each other within the tumor mass, thereby contributing to the functional heterogeneity. It is becoming increasingly clear that epigenetic modifications and microenvironmental influences are important determinants of tumor fitness resulting in disease progression, recurrence and reduced patient survival. Therefore, more effective therapies will require gaining insights into the role of genetic and no…
Recommendations from the iSBTc-SITC/FDA/NCI Workshop on Immunotherapy Biomarkers
Abstract Purpose: To facilitate development of innovative immunotherapy approaches, especially for treatment concepts exploiting the potential benefits of personalized therapy, there is a need to develop and validate tools to identify patients who can benefit from immunotherapy. Despite substantial effort, we do not yet know which parameters of antitumor immunity to measure and which assays are optimal for those measurements. Experimental Design: The iSBTc-SITC (International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer-Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer), FDA (Food and Drug Administration), and NCI (National Cancer Institute) partnered to address these issues for immunotherapy of cancer. Here…