HLA-G in skin cancer: a wolf in sheep's clothing?
Despite well-defined and immunogenic tumor antigens, and even in the presence of tumor antigen-specific cytotoxic cells, the immune system does not appear to be very effective in eradicating cells that have undergone malignant transformation. Tumor cells, even though invading and representing a threat, are not truly "foreign" but autologous cells that have become transformed in a subtle way, enabling them to escape the host immune system. Melanoma, and to less extent nonmelanoma, skin cancers have developed different strategies to circumvent host immunosurveillance. HLA-G is one of the molecules implicated in cancer immunescape. This review will concentrate on induction and expression of this nonclassical class I molecule in different skin cancer types presenting existing experimental evidence on this topic.
Urosevic
Mirjana
M
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. mirjana.urosevic@usz.ch
Dummer
Reinhard
R
D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology*; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007157:Immunologic Surveillance; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D019139:Tumor Escape
D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I