title: TM9 and cannibalism: how to learn more about cancer by studying amoebae and invertebrates.
abstract: Phagocytosis is used not only for immune defense but may also be used to obtain nutrients, as observed when tumor cells feed upon neighboring cells during "tumor cell cannibalism". The TM9 protein TM9SF4, important in canonical phagocytosis, is involved in this cannibalism by metastatic cells and may represent a novel therapeutic target.
authors: Anti-Tumour Drugs Section, Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italian National Institute of Health), Rome, Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Fais
authors: Marie-Odile
authors: MO
authors: Fauvarque
mesh_terms: D000656:Amoeba / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D057899:Cytophagocytosis; D006801:Humans; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; C547837:TM9SF4 protein, human