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The Fas/Fas ligand system and cancer

Immune privilege and apoptosis

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Abstract

The Fas/FasL system has been suggested to play an important role in the establishment of immune privilege status for tumors by inducing Fas-mediated apoptosis in tumor-specific lymphocytes. However, the role of cell-surface expressed FasL in tumor cell protection has recently become controversial.

Our laboratory has focused on the study of the role of the Fas/FasL system in the normal tissue remodeling of the female reproductive tract and in immune-privileged organs. Our studies have demonstrated a connection between sex hormones and the regulation of the Fas/FasL pathway in immune and reproductive cells. More recently, we have investigated the resistance of tumor cells to Fas-mediated apoptosis. We have also characterized a new form of FasL, different from the classical membranal form, which is secreted by ovarian cancer cells. In this review we describe the main techniques used in these studies.

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Correspondence to Gil Mor.

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Abrahams, V.M., Kamsteeg, M. & Mor, G. The Fas/Fas ligand system and cancer. Mol Biotechnol 25, 19–30 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1385/MB:25:1:19

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