Cancer-retina antigens -- a new group of tumor antigens

Biochemistry (Mosc). 2014 Aug;79(8):733-9. doi: 10.1134/S000629791408001X.

Abstract

Some photoreceptor proteins normally specific for the eye retina are aberrantly expressed in malignant tumors. These proteins include recoverin, visual rhodopsin, transducin, cGMP-phosphodiesterase 6 (PDE 6), cGMP-dependent cationic channels, guanylyl cyclase 1, rhodopsin kinase, and arrestin. By analogy with cancer-testis antigens, these photoreceptor proteins form the group of cancer-retina antigens. It is shown that an aberrant demethylation of the promoter region of recoverin is involved in the aberrant expression of this protein. The cascade Wnt5a → Frizzled-2 → transducin → PDE 6 is shown to function in skin melanoma cells, and this suggests that these cancer-retina antigens can play a functional role. The events accompanying the signal transduction in this cascade, including those involving calcium ions and cGMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase G), are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / metabolism
  • Retina / metabolism*
  • Skin Neoplasms / immunology
  • Skin Neoplasms / metabolism

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm