Targeting thymic epithelial tumors at the crossroad between cancer immunology and autoimmunity
Thymic epithelial lesions are rare and heterogenous tumors arising from thymic epithelial cells. According to the 2021 WHO classification, they are subdivided into thymic hyperplasia (TH), thymoma (Ty), and thymic carcinoma. TH and Tys are characterized by an active intratumor thymopoiesis and the association with autoimmune diseases (ADs) that occur in up to 40% of cases. TEL-AD association represents a clinical challenge affecting the quality of life and the therapeutic options for these patients.
In this project, we aim at investigating the cellular and molecular immune mechanisms underlying this association, in order to identify potential predictive biomarkers to be used in patient management, and new molecular targets to be used in the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies for TEL patients.
TEAM
Silvia Della Bella MD, PhD - Senior staff scientist
Simone Balin - PhD student
fundings
Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro
AIRC
Project ID: IG 27520
Targeting pathogenesis and therapies in thymic epithelial tumors at crossroad between cancer immunology and autoimmunity
Progetti di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale
PRIN
Project ID: 2022R7PMJP
Targeting the overlapping mechanisms inducing immune cell dysfunctions and autoimmunity in the pathophysiology of thymic epithelial tumors
collaborations
Department of Oncology
IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
Department of Pathology
IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
Division of Thoracic Surgery
IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
Lab of Clinical Analysis
IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
Department of Biomedical Sciences
Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milano, Italy
Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, Section of Pathology
University of Bari, Italy
Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research
National Research Council of Italy, Milan, Italy
San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy
IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
related publications
Carenza C, Calcaterra F, Oriolo F, Di Vito C, Ubezio M, Della Porta MG, Mavilio D, Della Bella S.
Front Immunol. 2019 Jun 11;10:1325. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01325. PMID: 31244860; PMCID: PMC6579930.Autoimmunity in Thymic Epithelial Tumors: a not yet clarified pathologic paradigm associated with several unmet clinical needs
Perrino M, Voulaz E, Balin S, Cazzato G, Fontana E, Franzese S, Defendi M, De Vincenzo F, Cordua N, Tamma R, Borea F, Aliprandi M, Airoldi M, Cecchi L, Fazio R, Alloisio M, Marulli G, Santoro A, Di Tommaso L, Ingravallo G, Russo L, Da Rin G, Villa A, Della Bella S, Zucali PA, Mavilio D
Front Immunol. 2024, accepted for publication