Expression and function of FERMT genes in colon carcinoma cells.

Invasion into the matrix is one of hallmarks of malignant diseases and is the first step for tumor metastasis. Thus, analysis of the molecular mechanisms of invasion is essential to overcome tumor cell invasion. In the present study, we screened for colon carcinoma-specific genes using a cDNA microarray database of colon carcinoma tissues and normal colon tissues, and we found that fermitin family member-1 (FERMT1) is overexpressed in colon carcinoma cells.

DNA methyltransferase 1 is essential for initiation of the colon cancers.

DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1) is essential for the maintenance of hematopoietic and somatic stem cells in mice; however, its roles in human cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/cancer-initiating cells (CICs) are still elusive. In the present study, we investigated DNMT1 functions in the maintenance of human colon CSCs/CICs using the human colon cancer cell line HCT116 (HCT116 w/t) and its DNMT1 knockout cell line (DNMT1(-/-)). The rates of CSCs/CICs were evaluated by side population (SP) analysis, ALDEFLUOR assay and expression of CD44 and CD24.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes: Sniping cancer stem cells.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs)/cancer-initiating cells (CICs) are characterized as a small population of cancer cells that have high tumor-initiating ability. CSCs/CICs are resistant to several cancer therapies, and eradication of CSCs/CICs is essential to cure cancer. How can we eradicate CSCs/CICs? Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) might be a promising answer.

SOX2 is overexpressed in stem-like cells of human lung adenocarcinoma and augments the tumorigenicity.

Recently, the SOX2 gene has been reported to be amplified in human lung squamous cell carcinomas. However, its roles in human lung adenocarcinomas are still elusive. In this study, we analyzed the functions of SOX2 in cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/cancer-initiating cells (CICs) derived from human lung adenocarcinoma.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes efficiently recognize human colon cancer stem-like cells.

Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) and tumor-initiating cells (TICs) are a small population of cancer cells that share three properties: tumor initiating ability, self-renewal, and differentiation. These properties suggest that CSCs/TICs are essential for tumor maintenance, recurrence, and distant metastasis. Here, we show that cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) specific for the tumor-associated antigen CEP55 can efficiently recognize colon CSCs/TICs both in vitro and in vivo.

Comparison of speedy PCR-ssp method and serological typing of HLA-A24 for Japanese cancer patients.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing is essential to carry out HLA-class I restricted antigenic peptide-based cancer immunotherapy. To establish a one-step polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) method, we designed two novel HLA-A24-specific primer sets and determined the optimal conditions for specific amplification. Then, we performed HLA-A24 typing of two healthy donors' and 17 cancer patients' peripheral blood with serological typing and PCR-SSP typing.

The feasibility of Cep55/c10orf3 derived peptide vaccine therapy for colorectal carcinoma.

In our previous study, we demonstrated that a peptide derived from the novel centrosome residing protein Cep55/c10orf3 can be targeted by the cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of breast carcinoma patients. In this report, we evaluated the feasibility of cancer immunotherapy using Cep55/c10orf3 peptide for colorectal carcinoma (CRC). To evaluate the expression of Cep55/c10orf3 in CRC tissues, we performed immunohistochemical staining of using anti-Cep55/c10orf3 monoclonal antibody.

Immune response against tumor antigens expressed on human cancer stem-like cells/tumor-initiating cells.

Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/tumor-initiating cells (TICs) are a small population of cancer cells that have the properties of tumor-initiating ability, self-renewal and differentiation. These properties suggest that CSCs/TICs are essential for tumor maintenance, recurrence and distant metastasis. Thus, elimination of CSCs/TICs is essential to cure malignant diseases.

Cep55/c10orf3, a tumor antigen derived from a centrosome residing protein in breast carcinoma.

Identification of tumor-associated antigens may facilitate vaccination strategies to treat patients with malignant diseases. We have found that the centrosomal protein, Cep55/c10orf3 acts as a novel breast carcinoma-associated tumor-associated antigen. Cep55/c10orf3 mRNA was detectable in a wide variety of tumor cell lines.

Novel spliced form of a lens protein as a novel lung cancer antigen, Lengsin splicing variant 4.

A glutamine synthetase I family protein, Lengsin, was previously identified as a novel lens-specific transcript in the vertebrate eye. In this report, we show for the first time that Lengsin is a novel tumor-associated antigen expressed ectopically in lung cancer. Interestingly, a novel spliced form of human Lengsin termed 'splicing variant 4', gaining exon 3 that codes extra 63 amino acids, is the dominant transcript form in lung cancer cells.

The functioning antigens: beyond just as the immunological targets.

Antigenic peptides derived from tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) facilitate peptide cancer vaccine therapies. With the recent progress in cancer immunity research, huge amounts of antigenic peptides have already been reported. Clinical trials using such peptides are underway now all over the world.