Zakiryanova GK, Kustova E, Urazalieva NT, Amirbekov A, Baimuchametov ET, Nakisbekov NN, Shurin MR. Alterations of oncogenes expression in NK cells in patients with cancer.
IMMUNITY INFLAMMATION AND DISEASE 2017;
5:493-502. [PMID:
28695716 PMCID:
PMC5691306 DOI:
10.1002/iid3.179]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 04/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
C-kit/SCF signaling plays a key role in regulating NK cell homeostasis, maturation, proliferation, and cytotoxicity. C-kit-deficiency in NK cells results in significant reduction of their number, suggesting an imperative role for c-kit signaling in NK cell biology. We have recently showed that human NK cells express not only c-kit-receptor, but also both membrane-bound and soluble forms of c-kit ligand-Stem cell factor. The goal of this study was to characterize the c-kit/SCF autocrine loop in peripheral blood NK cells obtained from patients with cancer.
METHODS
Using Smart Flare and qRT-PCR, we have characterized expression of c-kit and two forms of SCF in patients' NK cells and correlated these results with the expression of c-myc and STAT3.
RESULTS
Our results demonstrated that the expression of proto-oncogenes c-myc and c-kit was significantly decreased in NK cells from all cancer patients. Expression of membrane-bound SCF in NK cells correlated with the presence of remote metastases.
CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that the abnormal signaling and expression of c-kit/SCF, c-myc, and STAT3 in NK cells is responsible for the defect in their cytolytic activity in cancer and these defects at the gene expression level may be the cause rather than the result of tumor progression.
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