title: Immunology of a Transmissible Cancer Spreading among Tasmanian Devils.
abstract: Devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) is a transmissible cancer that has killed most of the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrissii) population. Since the first case appeared in the mid-1990s, it has spread relentlessly across the Tasmanian devil's geographic range. As Tasmanian devils only exist in Tasmania, Australia, DFTD has the potential to cause extinction of this species. The origin of DFTD was a Schwann cell from a female devil. The disease is transmitted when devils bite each other around the facial areas, a behavior synonymous with this species. Every devil that is 'infected' with DFTD dies from the cancer. Once the DFTD cells have been transmitted, they appear to develop into a cancer without inducing an immune response. The DFTD cancer cells avoid allogeneic recognition because they do not express MHC class I molecules on the cell surface. A reduced genetic diversity and the production of immunosuppressive cytokines may also contribute.
authors.affiliation: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia; and G.M.Woods@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Gregory M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.affiliation: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia;
authors.forename: Lauren J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Howson
authors.affiliation: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia;
authors.forename: Gabriella K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia;
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tovar
authors.affiliation: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7000, Australia;
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kreiss
authors.affiliation: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
authors.forename: Lynn M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia; and.
authors.forename: A Bruce
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lyons
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D060435:Carnivory; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008394:Marsupialia / Q000276:immunology*; D009026:Mortality; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013648:Tasmania
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I