Radiation-induced tumor neoantigens: imaging and therapeutic implications

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Christopher D. Corso, Emory University; Arif N Ali, Emory University; Roberto Diaz, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2011-01-25
• Publisher: e-Century Publishing
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: AJCR © 2011
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://www.ajcr.us/ajcr0000029A.html
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: American Journal of Cancer Research
• ISSN: 2156-6976
• Volume: 1
• Issue: 3
• Start Page: 390
• End Page: 412
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported in part by the Emory University School of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology Medical Student Scholars Program (Corso), the Department of Defense Lung Cancer Research Program Grant W81XWH -10-1-0605 (Ali), start-up funds from Emory University (Diaz), and the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program Grant W81XWH-06-1-0788 (Diaz).
• Keywords: Radiation-induced neoantigens; targeted therapy; nanoparticles; ionizing radiation
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Oncology; Health Sciences, Radiology

Abstract

Exposure of tumor cells to ionizing radiation (IR) is widely known to induce a number of cellular changes. One way that IR can affect tumor cells is through the development of neoantigens which are new molecules that tumor cells express at the cell membrane following some insult or change to the cell. There have been numerous reports in the literature of changes in both tumor and tumor vasculature cell surface molecule expression following treatment with IR. The usefulness of neoantigens for imaging and therapeutic applications lies in the fact that they are differentially expressed on the surface of irradiated tumor cells to a greater extent than on normal tissues. This differential expression provides a mechanism by which tumor cells can be “marked” by radiation for further targeting. Drug delivery vehicles or imaging agents conjugated to ligands that recognize and interact with the neoantigens can help to improve tumor-specific targeting and reduce systemic toxicity with cancer drugs. This article provides a review of the molecules that have been reported to be expressed on the surface of tumor cells in response to IR either in vivo or in vitro. Additionally, we provide a discussion of some of the methods used in the identification of these antigens and applications for their use in drug delivery and imaging.