Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

A 3D Organotypic Melanoma Spheroid Skin Model
08:49

A 3D Organotypic Melanoma Spheroid Skin Model

Published on: May 18, 2018

Regulation of cutaneous malignancy by gammadelta T cells

M Girardi1, D E Oppenheim, C R Steele

  • 1Department of Dermatology and Yale Skin Diseases Research Core Center, King's College, London SE1 9RT, UK.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|September 22, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Gamma delta T cells protect against skin cancer. These immune cells, when absent, increase susceptibility to carcinogenesis, highlighting their role in regulating epithelial malignancies.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Dermatology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Epithelial malignancies pose a significant health burden.
  • The role of gammadelta T cells in epithelial tissue immunity is not fully understood.
  • Gammadelta T cells are known to reside in epithelial tissues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of gammadelta T cells in cutaneous carcinogenesis.
  • To determine if gammadelta T cells can prevent or slow the development of skin cancer.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which gammadelta T cells regulate epithelial malignancies.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized mouse models lacking gammadelta T cells.
  • Exposed mice to various carcinogens to induce skin cancer.
  • Analyzed the expression of Rae-1 and H60 molecules on skin cells.
  • Performed in vitro assays using gammadelta T cells and skin carcinoma cells.
  • Investigated the role of NKG2d receptor-ligand interactions.

Main Results:

  • Mice lacking gammadelta T cells showed increased susceptibility to skin cancer.
  • Carcinogen exposure led to increased expression of Rae-1 and H60 on skin cells.
  • Skin-associated gammadelta T cells expressing NKG2d effectively killed skin carcinoma cells in vitro.
  • This killing mechanism was dependent on NKG2d engagement.

Conclusions:

  • Gammadelta T cells play a crucial role in preventing cutaneous carcinogenesis.
  • The NKG2d-Rae-1/H60 pathway is essential for gammadelta T cell-mediated tumor surveillance.
  • Local gammadelta T cells utilize conserved molecular mechanisms to suppress epithelial malignancies.

More Related Videos

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells06:09

Spatial and Temporal Control of Murine Melanoma Initiation from Mutant Melanocyte Stem Cells

Published on: June 7, 2019

Chemical-Induced Skin Carcinogenesis Model Using Dimethylbenz[a]Anthracene and 12-O-Tetradecanoyl Phorbol-13-Acetate (DMBA-TPA)04:12

Chemical-Induced Skin Carcinogenesis Model Using Dimethylbenz[a]Anthracene and 12-O-Tetradecanoyl Phorbol-13-Acetate (DMBA-TPA)

Published on: December 19, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells01:12

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells

The skin is divided into epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, the skin's outermost, middle, and inner layers. The human epidermal layer regularly undergoes renewal, where old, dead cells are replaced by new cells. Epidermal stem cells or EpiSCs divide and differentiate to restore the lost cells. For the renewal process, some EpiSCs continuously self-renew. In contrast, few others differentiate into transit-amplifying cells, which later form prickle or spinous cells, followed by granular cells,...
Skin Cancer01:30

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is a type of cancer that occurs when there is an abnormal growth of skin cells, usually triggered by damage to the DNA within the skin cells. It is primarily caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide, and its incidence continues to rise.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...