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Predictive Immune Modeling of Solid Tumors
08:50

Predictive Immune Modeling of Solid Tumors

Published on: February 25, 2020

Epigenetic modulation of solid tumors as a novel approach for cancer immunotherapy

Luca Sigalotti1, Sandra Coral, Elisabetta Fratta

  • 1Cancer Bioimmunotherapy Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Aviano, Italy.

Seminars in Oncology
|October 8, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Epigenetic changes in cancer can hinder immune responses, but epigenetic drugs can reverse this, potentially improving cancer immunotherapies and treatments for solid tumors.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Oncology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Epigenetic alterations in cancer, such as DNA hypermethylation and histone deacetylation, can suppress genes crucial for immune recognition.
  • This immune evasion mechanism allows cancer cells to escape even vaccine-induced antitumor responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore how epigenetic modifications impact cancer cell immunogenicity.
  • To investigate the potential of epigenetic drugs in reversing these suppressive effects and enhancing anti-cancer immunity.

Main Methods:

  • Review of emerging evidence on epigenetic events in cancer progression.
  • Analysis of the role of DNA methylation and histone deacetylation in immune gene regulation.
  • Evaluation of pharmacologic agents targeting epigenetic modifications.

Main Results:

  • Epigenetic silencing of genes for human leukocyte antigens (HLAs), tumor-associated antigens, and costimulatory molecules impairs immune recognition.
  • Epigenetic drugs can induce DNA hypomethylation or inhibit histone deacetylation, restoring immune recognition.
  • These epigenetic modifications can lead to a more immunologically "efficient" cancer cell profile.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic drugs show promise in overcoming cancer immune escape mechanisms.
  • Combined chemo-immunotherapeutic strategies utilizing epigenetic drugs are a promising avenue for treating solid malignancies.

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