Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2025
Evaluating the Angiogenetic Properties of Ovarian Cancer Stem-Like Cells using the Three-Dimensional Co-Culture System, NICO-1
Published on: December 5, 2020
Profiling ovarian cancer tumor and microenvironment during disease progression for cell-based immunotherapy design
Yan-Ruide Li1, Christopher J Ochoa2,3,4, Yichen Zhu1
1Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Abstract:
Ovarian cancer (OC) is highly lethal due to late detection and frequent recurrence. Initial treatments, comprising surgery and chemotherapy, lead to disease remission but are invariably associated with subsequent relapse. The identification of novel therapies and an improved understanding of the molecular and cellular characteristics of OC are urgently needed. Here, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of primary tumor cells and their microenvironment from 16 chemonaive and 10 recurrent OC patient samples. Profiling OC tumor biomarkers allowed for the identification of potential molecular targets for developing immunotherapies, while profiling the microenvironment yielded insights into its cellular composition and property changes between chemonaive and recurrent samples. Notably, we identified CD1d as a biomarker of the OC microenvironment and demonstrated its targeting by invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells. Overall, our study presents a comprehensive immuno-profiling of OC tumor and microenvironment during disease progression, guiding the development of immunotherapies for OC treatment, especially for recurrent disease.
Insights
This study reveals CD1d as a key biomarker in ovarian cancer (OC) microenvironments, targeted by invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells. Findings guide new immunotherapies for recurrent ovarian cancer.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Ovarian cancer (OC) is a lethal malignancy often detected late and prone to recurrence after initial treatments.
- Current therapies like surgery and chemotherapy achieve remission but relapse is common, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
- Understanding OC's molecular and cellular features is crucial for developing effective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a comprehensive immuno-profiling of primary ovarian cancer tumors and their microenvironments.
- To identify potential molecular targets for immunotherapy by analyzing tumor biomarkers.
- To understand cellular composition and property changes in the microenvironment between chemonaive and recurrent OC.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive analysis of primary tumor cells and microenvironment from chemonaive and recurrent ovarian cancer patient samples.
- Profiling of ovarian cancer tumor biomarkers.
- Profiling of the tumor microenvironment's cellular composition and properties.
Main Results:
- Identification of potential molecular targets for immunotherapy development.
- Insights into cellular composition and property changes in the microenvironment during disease progression.
- CD1d identified as a significant biomarker in the OC microenvironment, targeted by invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a comprehensive immuno-profiling of the ovarian cancer tumor and microenvironment.
- Findings highlight CD1d and iNKT cells as potential therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.
- This research guides the development of novel immunotherapies, particularly for recurrent ovarian cancer.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
02:07Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...