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Alternative mRNA splicing in cancer immunotherapy
Luke Frankiw1, David Baltimore2, Guideng Li3,4
1Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
Nature Reviews. Immunology
|August 1, 2019
Summary
Alternative messenger RNA (mRNA) processing in cancer cells offers new targets for cancer immunotherapies. Analyzing mRNA splicing events can broaden the scope of cancer vaccines and T cell therapies for better treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Cancer immunotherapies show promise for treating previously untreatable cancers.
- Identifying tumor-specific antigens for cancer vaccines and T cell therapies remains a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of analyzing messenger RNA (mRNA) processing events in cancer cells as a source of novel immunotherapy targets.
- To emphasize the role of mRNA splicing in expanding the target space for cancer immunotherapy.
Main Methods:
- Review and discussion of current research on mRNA processing in cancer.
- Focus on the analysis of alternative mRNA splicing events.
- Evaluation of the potential for clinical application of identified targets.
Main Results:
- Alternative mRNA processing, particularly splicing, alters cancer proteomic diversity.
- This phenomenon presents a potential for a broader range of targets for immunotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Analyzing mRNA splicing in cancer holds promise for identifying new targets for cancer immunotherapy.
- Overcoming current challenges is crucial for the clinical applicability of this approach.
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