Homozygous Co-Deletion of Type I Interferons and CDKN2A Genes in Thoracic Cancers: Potential Consequences for Therapy

Marion Grard; Camille Chatelain; Tiphaine Delaunay; Elvire Pons-Tostivint; Jaafar Bennouna; Jean-François Fonteneau

doi:10.3389/fonc.2021.695770

Homozygous Co-Deletion of Type I Interferons and CDKN2A Genes in Thoracic Cancers: Potential Consequences for Therapy

Front Oncol. 2021 Jun 24:11:695770. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.695770. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Marion Grard^{1

2}, Camille Chatelain^{1

2}, Tiphaine Delaunay^{1

2}, Elvire Pons-Tostivint^{1

2

3}, Jaafar Bennouna^{1

2

3}, Jean-François Fonteneau^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Université de Nantes, Inserm, CRCINA, Nantes, France.
² Labex IGO, Immunology Graft Oncology, Nantes, France.
³ CHU de Nantes, oncologie thoracique et digestive, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France.

Abstract

Homozygous deletion (HD) of the tumor suppressor gene CDKN2A is the most frequent genetic alteration in malignant pleural mesothelioma and is also frequent in non-small cell lung cancers. This HD is often accompanied by the HD of the type I interferons (IFN I) genes that are located closed to the CDKN2A gene on the p21.3 region of chromosome 9. IFN I genes encode sixteen cytokines (IFN-α, IFN-β…) that are implicated in cellular antiviral and antitumor defense and in the induction of the immune response. In this review, we discuss the potential influence of IFN I genes HD on thoracic cancers therapy and speak in favor of better taking these HD into account in patients monitoring.

Keywords: CDKN2A (p16); STING; homozygous deletion; immunotherapy; lung cancer; mesothelioma; type I interferon.

Publication types

Review