CD47 a Target for Cancer Stem Cell Treatment in Bladder Cancer

• Applicant: Dr. Jens-Peter Volkmer
• Subject Area: Reproductive Medicine, Urology
• Term: from 2010 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 167963284

Bladder cancer is one of the most significant cancers in the USA, with an estimated 68,800 newtumor cases and 14,100 deaths reported in 2008 alone. Approximately 25% of bladder cancersare muscle-invasive at diagnosis, or will progress to this stage within the course of disease.Despite bladder-ablation and chemotherapy, nearly 50% of these patients suffer from local ordisseminated relapse, resulting in 5-year survival rate below 6%. One potential explanation forthis frequent progression and recurrence is the failure of conventional therapies to effectivelytarget and eliminate bladder cancer stem cells that are ultimately responsible for the expansionand propagation of the tumor. Our preliminary data reveal that bladder cancer stem cellsexpress CD47 on their cell surface and that CD47 acts as a “don’t eat me signal” to immunedefensecells. We demonstrate the in vivo efficacy of CD47 monoclonal antibodies to targetbladder cancer stem cells and inhibit tumor progression within human bladder cancer xenograftmodels. The aim of the proposed research project is a systematic evaluation of CD47 astherapeutic antibody target on bladder cancer stem cells with the intent of applying thispromising therapeutic approach to the treatment of bladder cancer as soon as possible.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Dr. Irving L. Weissman