CD1a in human cancers: a new role for an old molecule

CD1a expression by Barrett's metaplasia of gastric type may help to predict its evolution towards cancer

“…In particular, we postulated a diagnostic role of this marker and supposed that it may also be useful to predict prognosis. Moreover, we already hypothesised a proimmunitary role of CD1a expression by epithelial cells (La Rocca et al, 2004), in accordance to Coventry and Heinzel (2004).…”

“…Moreover, we suppose that CD1a expression may have an antitumoral role in BM mucosa, and also, as postulated, in neoplastic diseases arising at other anatomic sites (Coventry and Morton, 2003a;Coventry and Heinzel, 2004;Poindexter et al, 2004). As a future objective, epithelial CD1a þ cells interaction with DCs or T cells remains to be further investigated.…”

“…In particular, its overexpression by axillary lymph nodes could prevent lymph node metastases (Poindexter et al, 2004); nevertheless, the authors of this work found a higher number of mature CD83-positive DCs, but not of immature CD1a-positive DCs, in tumour-free sentinel lymph nodes than those containing tumours. In addition, its expression by epithelial cells of in situ ductal Ca of the breast was also suggested (Coventry and Heinzel, 2004). Indeed, the density of CD1a þ DCs within human tumours has been already associated with longer survival.…”

“…The antitumoral role of CD1a was recently proposed (Coventry and Morton, 2003a;Coventry and Heinzel, 2004;La Rocca et al, 2004). We also recently described that CD1a could be expressed in metaplastic epithelium of Barrett's oesophagus, both gastric and intestinal types, while normal gastric and colonic mucosa were negative to this marker (Cappello et al, 2003).…”

“…CD1a is a surface glycoprotein of 43 -49 kDa that has been shown to be expressed by dendritic cells (DCs), cortical thymocytes and Langerhans cells of the skin (Dezutter-Dambuyant et al, 1990;Krenacs et al, 1993;Gregory et al, 2000). Moreover, the research of CD1a is commonly used to differentiate various cutaneous T-cell lymphomas from B-cell lymphomasand pseudolymphomas (Arai et al, 1999;Schmuth et al, 2001).The antitumoral role of CD1a was recently proposed (Coventry and Morton, 2003a;Coventry and Heinzel, 2004;La Rocca et al, 2004). We also recently described that CD1a could be expressed in metaplastic epithelium of Barrett's oesophagus, both gastric and intestinal types, while normal gastric and colonic mucosa were negative to this marker (Cappello et al, 2003).…”