Daniel R. Ciocca
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Transl Med
During the progression of many types of cancer the activation of heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) and the accumulation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) participate in the malignant phenotype. The HSF/HSP system has emerged as a source for potential biomarkers of cell transformation. HSP expression levels may be useful in characterizing certain cancer cells, and cancer cell types/subtypes. However, the HSP response in cancer is very versatile changing in different malignant tissues and in individual tumor cell populations. As a consequence, there can be confusion regarding the role(s) that the HSPs play under individual circumstances. HSPs can appear as biomarkers of cell differentiation, of cancer stem cells, or of disease prognosis. In addition, the results obtained strongly indicate that the HSF/HSP system is implicated in the response to anticancer therapy. The challenges now are multiple. Firstly it remains to be convincingly determined if the HSF/HSP system is useful as a source of molecular markers to predict which cancer type and patient in particular will be most benefit with an individualized anticancer strategy. However, this is not an easy task, and in the studies both of HSPs and of other molecular markers there have been contradictory findings. Another challenge is to design the most appropriate approach to pharmacologically perturb the HSF/HSP system in order to promote cancer cell killing while minimizing effects on the normal cells. Finally, understanding mechanisms whereby the HSF1 and HSP transcriptional system is activated in cancer may permit rational approaches to therapy based on this target.
Daniel Ciocca has completed his M.D. at the age of 25 years obtaining then a Ph.D from the National University of Cuyo (Mendoza, Argentina). He did postdoctoral studies in the Michigan Cancer Foundation, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and at the NIH. Chief of the Oncology Laboratory in the Institute of Experimental Medicine and Biology of Cuyo (Mendoza, Argentina) and Member of the National Research Council (CONICET). He has published more than 97 papers in reputed journals and serving as an editorial board member of the journal Cell Stress and Chaperones.
