Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Cells. 2019 Jun 14;8(6):587. doi: 10.3390/cells8060587.
Cell fusion has been observed in malignancy, and cancer cells have been found especially apt to fuse with other cells. Investigation of human and experimental malignancies suggests spontaneous fusion of normal cells can induce manifold genetic changes and manifestations of malignant transformation. Fusion of transformed cells with other cells can promote the progression of cancer to more malignant forms. However, observations in various fields suggest cell fusion also potentially contributes to natural defenses against cancer. Thus, cell fusion potentially corrects genetic and/or phenotypic changes underlying malignant transformation. Cell fusion also might help nonmalignant cells in tumors thwart tumor growth. Perhaps most importantly, cell fusion may generate genetic changes that lead to the expression of neoantigens, provide the mass of neoantigen expression needed to elicit immunity, and promote the function of antigen-presenting cells in a way that favors protective immunity as a defense against malignancy. To the extent that cell fusion promotes cellular, tissue, and/or systemic resistance to malignancy, the propensity of tumor cells to fuse with other cells might constitute a natural defense against malignancy.
细胞融合在恶性肿瘤中已经被观察到，并且已经发现癌细胞特别容易与其他细胞融合。对人类和实验性恶性肿瘤的研究表明，正常细胞的自发融合可以诱导多种遗传变化和恶性转化的表现。转化细胞与其他细胞的融合可以促进癌症向更恶性的形式发展。然而，各个领域的观察结果表明，细胞融合也可能有助于对癌症的天然防御。因此，细胞融合有可能纠正恶性转化潜在的遗传和/或表型变化。细胞融合也可能有助于肿瘤中的非恶性细胞阻止肿瘤生长。也许最重要的是，细胞融合可能会产生导致新抗原表达的遗传变化，提供引发免疫所需的大量新抗原表达，并以有利于保护性免疫作为防御恶性肿瘤的方式促进抗原呈递细胞的功能。在细胞融合促进细胞、组织和/或全身对恶性肿瘤的抵抗的程度上，肿瘤细胞与其他细胞融合的倾向可能构成对恶性肿瘤的天然防御。
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