title: Tumor plasticity interferes with anti-tumor immunity.
abstract: Since tumor cell plasticity was first shown to be crucial in tumor promotion and immune surveillance evasion, it has become an issue of intense investigation. Several mechanisms are associated with the acquisition of tumor cell plasticity and immune evasion, including loss of epithelial phenotype through epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We discuss recent evidence revealing that tumor cell plasticity may lead to the emergence of immunoresistant variants and how the tumor microenvironment evolves to shape this plasticity. We argue that targeting carcinoma cell plasticity represents a novel strategy to better control the emergence of resistant variants and to ensure more effective cancer therapies. In this context, the design of innovative integrative immunotherapy approaches is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM U753); Institut Federatif de Recherche 54 (IFR54); Institut de cancerologie Gustave Roussy. F-94800 Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Salem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chouaib
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Hemato-Oncology, Department of Oncology, Public Research Center for Health (CRP-Sante), L-1526 Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Bassam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Janji
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM U753); Institut Federatif de Recherche 54 (IFR54); Institut de cancerologie Gustave Roussy. F-94800 Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tittarelli
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM U753); Institut Federatif de Recherche 54 (IFR54); Institut de cancerologie Gustave Roussy. F-94800 Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eggermont
authors.affiliation: Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, Singapore; Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jean Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Thiery
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007167:Immunotherapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D010641:Phenotype; D019139:Tumor Escape / Q000276:immunology*; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment