Targeting Tumor Cell-Intrinsic Checkpoint Molecules: Beyond the Control of Anti-tumor Immunity

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Cancer Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2023) | Viewed by 3508

Special Issue Editors

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
Interests: genetic and epigenetic mechanisms contributing to metastasis and cancer therapy resistance; non-coding RNAs as regulators of cancer stemness, EMT and cancer therapy resistance; CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system in cancer research and treatment; immune checkpoint proteins as new targets for anti-cancer therapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
2. Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
Interests: RNA; tumour cells; ovarian cancer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Although the essential role of checkpoint molecules (such as PD-L1 and B7H3) in inhibiting antitumor immunity has been widely characterized, recent research has also shown that the newly discovered functions of PD-L1 and B7H3 play critical roles in regulating cancer stemness, EMT, tumor invasion, and resistance to antitumor therapy. Thus, targeting tumor-intrinsic checkpoint molecule signaling might represent a therapeutic option to repress the malignant phenotypes of tumor cells and simultaneously reverse the immunosuppressive cancer microenvironment.

However, the function of tumor cell-intrinsic checkpoint molecule signaling is yet to be identified in various cancer types, and the underlying mechanisms by which these checkpoint molecules regulate cancer initiation, metastasis, development, and resistance to therapy are currently less well defined.

This Special Issue aims to present novel insights into the novel functions of tumor cell-intrinsic checkpoint molecules in various types of human tumors, and their diagnostic and prognostic and therapeutic significance. Our objective is to gather a collection of reviews and original research articles that cover the advancements in the field of tumor cell-intrinsic checkpoint molecules, focusing on the following topics:

i) Biological roles of tumor cell-intrinsic checkpoint molecules in cancer initiation and progression; ii) genetic and epigenetic mechanisms contributing to dysregulation of tumor cell-intrinsic checkpoint molecules; iii) tumor cell-intrinsic checkpoint molecules as regulators of cancer stem cells and epithelial to mesenchymal transition; and iv) novel antitumor therapies targeting tumor cell-intrinsic checkpoint molecules.

Prof. Peixin Dong
Dr. Junming Yue
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • checkpoint molecule
  • cancer metastasis
  • cancer stem cell
  • EMT and resistance to therapy

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

29 pages, 2493 KiB  
Review
At the Cutting Edge against Cancer: A Perspective on Immunoproteasome and Immune Checkpoints Modulation as a Potential Therapeutic Intervention
by Grazia R. Tundo, Diego Sbardella, Francesco Oddone, Anna A. Kudriaeva, Pedro M. Lacal, Alexey A. Belogurov, Jr., Grazia Graziani and Stefano Marini
Cancers 2021, 13(19), 4852; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/cancers13194852 - 28 Sep 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2604
Abstract
Immunoproteasome is a noncanonical form of proteasome with enzymological properties optimized for the generation of antigenic peptides presented in complex with class I MHC molecules. This enzymatic property makes the modulation of its activity a promising area of research. Nevertheless, immunotherapy has emerged [...] Read more.
Immunoproteasome is a noncanonical form of proteasome with enzymological properties optimized for the generation of antigenic peptides presented in complex with class I MHC molecules. This enzymatic property makes the modulation of its activity a promising area of research. Nevertheless, immunotherapy has emerged as a front-line treatment of advanced/metastatic tumors providing outstanding improvement of life expectancy, even though not all patients achieve a long-lasting clinical benefit. To enhance the efficacy of the currently available immunotherapies and enable the development of new strategies, a broader knowledge of the dynamics of antigen repertoire processing by cancer cells is needed. Therefore, a better understanding of the role of immunoproteasome in antigen processing and of the therapeutic implication of its modulation is mandatory. Studies on the potential crosstalk between proteasome modulators and immune checkpoint inhibitors could provide novel perspectives and an unexplored treatment option for a variety of cancers. Full article
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