MHC Class I Antigens In Malignant Cells, 2013
Immune Escape And Response To Immunotherapy
SpringerBriefs in Cancer Research Series, Vol. 1

Abnormal expression of MHC class I molecules in malignant cells is a frequent occurrence that ranges from total loss of all class I antigens to partial loss of MHC specific haplotypes or alleles. Different mechanisms are described to be responsible for these alterations, requiring different therapeutic approaches. A complete characterization of these molecular defects is important for improvement of the strategies for the selection and follow-up of patients undergoing T-cell based cancer immunotherapy.  Precise identification of the mechanism leading to MHC class I defects  will help to develop new personalized patient-tailored treatment protocols. There is significant new research on the prevalence of various patterns of MHC class I defects and the underlying molecular mechanisms in different types of cancer. In contrast, few data is available on the changes in MHC class I expression during the course of cancer immunotherapy, but the authors have recently made discoveries that show the progression or regression of a tumor lesion in cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy depends on the molecular mechanism responsible for the MHC class I alteration and not on the type of immunotherapy used. According to this notion, the nature of the preexisting MHC class I lesion in the cancer cell has a crucial impact on determining the final outcome of cancer immunotherapy. This SpringerBrief will present how MHC class 1 is expressed, explain its role in tumor progression, and its role in resistance to immunotherapy. ?  

​Overview of MHC Class I Antigens.- HLA Class I Expression In Human Cancer.- MHC Class I Expression In Experimental Mouse Models Of Cancer: Immunotherapy Of Tumors With Different MHC-I Expression Patterns.- Potential Therapeutic Approaches For Increasing Tumor Immunogenicity By Upregulation Of Tumor HLA Class I Expression.- Conclusion.

Teresa Cabrera Castillo, Ph.D., MD., is a Full Professor at the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Immunology at the University of Granada and a Medical Immunology Specialist at Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves. Natalia Aptsiauri, Ph.D., MD., is a Senior Staff Scientist at the Department of Clinical Analysis and Immunology, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves Angel Miguel Garcia Lora, Ph.D., is a Senior Staff Scientist at the Department of Clinical Analysis and Immunology, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves Please see attached CVs for more detail.

Discusses molecular mechanisms of total or partial loss of the MHC class I antigens in cancer cells Explains the role of MHC class I defects in cancer progression Shows the correlation of MHC class I altered phenotypes with resistance to Immunotherapy ? Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras