A review of B7-H3 and B7-H4 immune molecules and their role in ovarian cancer.
A number of members of the B7 superfamily of ligands have been implicated in tumor immunogenicity and cancer development. Two of these recently characterized ligands, B7-H4 and B7-H3, have been linked to ovarian tumors. B7-H4 is consistently overexpressed in ovarian tumor specimens, and its tissue and serum levels have been found to be a potential biomarker for ovarian cancer, either alone or in combination with CA125. More recently, B7-H3 has been found to be overexpressed in a large series of ovarian cancer tumor specimens and similar to other types of carcinomas, B7-H3 overexpression has been correlated with poor survival. On the basis of the results obtained by knocking down B7-H3 protein using siRNA, researchers have suggested that blocking the action of B7-H3 could reduce tumor growth, metastatic potential, and improve survival. Because siRNA knock-down is not an ideal clinical therapeutic vehicle, additional studies using antibody-mediated suppression of the B7-H3 protein are necessary to fully evaluate the clinical potential of this molecule as a therapeutic target.
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, USA. janelle.fauci@gmail.com
Janelle M
JM
Fauci
J Michael
JM
Straughn
Soldano
S
Ferrone
Donald J
DJ
Buchsbaum
D060887:B7 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D060907:V-Set Domain-Containing T-Cell Activation Inhibitor 1 / Q000378:metabolism*
D060887:B7 Antigens; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C423237:CD276 protein, human; D060907:V-Set Domain-Containing T-Cell Activation Inhibitor 1; C475826:VTCN1 protein, human