Anti-apoptotic role for the ASC inflammasome and IL-18 in gastric cancer

Lead researcher

Dr Virginie Deswaerte

Main finding

We found a novel pro-tumorigenic ASC/IL-18/NF-κB signaling axis which augments gastric epithelial cell survival in gastric cancer.

Centre

Centre for Innate Immunity & Infectious Diseases

Research group

Cancer and Immune Signalling

Co-authors

Dr Paul Nguyen, Dr Alison West, Dr Alison F. Browning, Dr Liang Yu, Dr Saleela M. Ruwanpura, Jesse Balic, Thaleia Livis, Dr Charlotte Girard, Adele Preaudet, Ass Prof Hiroko Oshima, Dr Ka Yee Fung, Dr Hazel Tye, Meri Najdovska, Prof Matthias Ernst, Prof Masanobu Oshima, Prof Cem Gabay, Dr Tracy Putoczki, Prof Brendan J. Jenkins.

Journal and article title

Cancer Research

Inflammasome adaptor ASC suppresses apoptosis of gastric cancer cells by an IL-18 mediated inflammation-independent mechanism.

Most surprising

We reveal a pro-tumorigenic role for ASC in gastric cancer and tissue-specific activities of IL-18.

Future implications

Given the fact that gastric cancer is the third most common causes of cancer death worldwide and the current lack of curative treatment, therapies that neutralize the biological activity of IL-18 may serve as effective weapons against this form of cancer.

Disease/health impact

Stomach cancer