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  • Opinion
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Programmed cell removal: a new obstacle in the road to developing cancer

Nature Reviews Cancer volume 12, pages 58–67 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

The development of cancer involves mechanisms by which aberrant cells overcome normal regulatory pathways that limit their numbers and their migration. The evasion of programmed cell death is one of several key early events that need to be overcome in the progression from normal cellular homeostasis to malignant transformation. Recently, we provided evidence in mouse and human cancers that successful cancer clones must also overcome programmed cell removal. In this Opinion article, we explore the role of programmed cell removal in both normal and neoplastic cells, and we place this pathway in the context of the initiation of programmed cell death.

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Figure 1: The step-wise process of programmed cell removal.
Figure 2: Evasion of both programmed cell death and programmed cell removal pathways leads to cancer evolution.
Figure 3: Putative stimuli leading to the induction of cell surface calreticulin.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the Ludwig Foundation. R.M. holds a Career Award for Medical Scientists from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. M.P.C., R.M. and I.L.W. have filed US Patent Application Serial No. 12/321215 entitled Methods For Manipulating Phagocytosis Mediated by CD47.

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  1. Mark P. Chao, Ravindra Majeti and Irving L. Weissman: All authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Haematology, Mark P. Chao, Ravindra Majeti and Irving L. Weissman are at the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Lokey Stem Cell Research Building, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305, USA.,

    Mark P. Chao, Ravindra Majeti & Irving L. Weissman

  2. Ravindra Majeti is also at the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Haematology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Lokey Stem Cell Research Building, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, California 94305, USA.,

    Ravindra Majeti

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Correspondence to Mark P. Chao or Ravindra Majeti.

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M.P.C., R.M. and I.L.W. filed US Patent Application Serial No. 12/321,215 entitled “Methods for Manipulating Phagocytosis Mediated by CD47” and have filed US Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/459,909 entitled “Therapeutic and Diagnostic Methods for Manipulating Phagocytosis through Calreticulin and Low Density Lipoprotein Related Receptor”.

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Chao, M., Majeti, R. & Weissman, I. Programmed cell removal: a new obstacle in the road to developing cancer. Nat Rev Cancer 12, 58–67 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc3171

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