Identifizierung molekularer Mechanismen der Lungenkrebsmetastasierung
Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse
The acquired invasiveness of cancer cells in patients with aggressive primary solid tumors leads to the dissemination of the tumor to distant organs through a process known as metastasis. Metastasis is the main driver of mortality in individuals diagnosed with aggressive solid tumors. Unlike tumor initiation, which is fueled by genetic aberrations in cancer drivers, no distinct metastasis-specific genetic drivers have been identified. Metastatic tumor genomes largely share driver genes with primary tumors, although specific mutations might predispose to metastasis. During metastasis, epithelial cancer cells primarily undergo the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), acquiring biological traits such as motility and invasion. Through this process, they lose their cell-cell adhesion features and adopt a mesenchymal-like phenotype. Cancer cells undergoing EMT leave their primary tumor site, intravasate into the blood and lymphatic vessels, and reach secondary organs, where they grow into new secondary tumors, often reverting to an epithelial phenotype. Elucidating the intricate mechanisms governing this process is crucial for: • The precise definition of predictive biomarkers: This facilitates the identification of high-risk patients, enabling timely interventions and personalized treatments. • The identification of biomarker-aligned therapeutic modalities: This targets specific resistance mechanisms or prevents the emergence of these mechanisms. • The refinement of precision therapeutic strategies: This encompasses both targeted and immune therapy. My research direction aims to contribute to these grand challenges, with a focus on lung cancer progression.
Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)
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Functional antagonism of chromatin modulators regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Science Advances, 7(9).
Serresi, Michela; Kertalli, Sonia; Li, Lifei; Schmitt, Matthias Jürgen; Dramaretska, Yuliia; Wierikx, Jikke; Hulsman, Danielle & Gargiulo, Gaetano
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Defining and defeating metastasis, Heidelberg, Germany June 19-22 June 2022 Selected flash talk: Transcriptional amplification of oncogenic Kras drives lung cancer progression and metastasis
Serresi Michela
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Logical design of synthetic cis-regulatory DNA for genetic tracing of cell identities and state changes. Nature Communications, 15(1).
Company, Carlos; Schmitt, Matthias Jürgen; Dramaretska, Yuliia; Serresi, Michela; Kertalli, Sonia; Jiang, Ben; Yin, Jiang-An; Aguzzi, Adriano; Barozzi, Iros & Gargiulo, Gaetano
