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Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Generation of Cancer Cell Clones to Visualize Telomeric Repeat-containing RNA TERRA Expressed from a Single Telomere in Living Cells
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Cancer cells induce immune escape via glycocalyx changes controlled by the telomeric protein TRF2

Julien Cherfils-Vicini1, Charlene Iltis1, Ludovic Cervera1

  • 1Université Côte d'Azur, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR7284, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1081, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging, Nice (IRCAN), Nice, France.

The EMBO Journal
|April 20, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Cancer cells upregulate TRF2 to boost immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), promoting tumor growth. This TRF2 mechanism involves altering the cell surface, enhancing MDSC recruitment and activity, and hindering anti-tumor immunity.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are key immunosuppressors in the tumor microenvironment.
  • Tumor progression relies on mechanisms that promote MDSC accumulation and function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the role of TRF2 in cancer-mediated MDSC regulation.
  • To investigate the molecular pathways linking cancer cells, TRF2, and MDSC activity.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of TRF2 expression in cancer cells and its impact on gene expression.
  • Assessment of glycocalyx changes using atomic force microscopy.
  • Investigation of signaling pathways (TLR2/MyD88/IL-6/STAT3) involved in MDSC activation.
  • Correlation analysis with clinical cancer patient data.

Main Results:

  • Cancer cell TRF2 upregulation activates heparan sulfate proteoglycan biosynthesis genes, altering cell surface properties.
  • TRF2-induced changes facilitate MDSC recruitment and activation via the TLR2/MyD88/IL-6/STAT3 pathway.
  • This process inhibits natural killer cell cytotoxicity, promoting tumor progression and metastasis.
  • High TRF2 expression correlates with increased MDSC infiltration and reduced patient survival.

Conclusions:

  • TRF2 plays a critical extratelomeric role in cancer by modulating the tumor microenvironment through MDSC manipulation.
  • Targeting TRF2 or its downstream pathways may offer novel therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
  • TRF2 serves as a potential biomarker for predicting patient prognosis and MDSC infiltration.
Keywords:
HSPGMDSCNK cellsTRF2immunosurveillance

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