Cancer transmissibility across HLA barriers between immunocompetent individuals: rare but not impossible.
The axiom of human leukocyte incompatibility (HLA) incompatibility has always led scientists to consider cancer transmission between HLA-different individuals impossible. In fact, cancer transmission between individuals represents a frightening possibility in animal populations with limited HLA diversity or for rare cancers exploiting downregulation of HLA expression. We review here evidence from nonhuman models and settings for interhuman transmission.
Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Division of Immunohematology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana, Italy. dfocosi@tin.it
Daniele
D
Focosi
Monica
M
De Donno
Serena
S
Barbuti
Sara
S
Davini
Silvia
S
Fornaciari
Michele
M
Curcio
Maria Luciana
ML
Mariotti
Fabrizio
F
Scatena
D000818:Animals; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence / Q000276:immunology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D014180:Transplantation; D014685:Venereal Tumors, Veterinary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I