Elements of the complement activation pathway as novel diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets in lung cancer

Project information

This project focuses on the study of complement activation in lung cancer, the neoplasm with the highest mortality rate in Western countries. The complement system is an essential part of the innate immune response.

In previous studies (FIS PI11/00618) we demonstrated that lung cancer cells exhibit a high complement activation capacity, leading to the production of C4d, a promising diagnostic and prognostic marker in lung cancer (JNCI, 2013).

Moreover, our previous data point to this activation regulating the growth and dissemination of lung tumors. In this regard, lung cancer cells generate complement fragment C5a, a proinflammatory anaphyllotoxin whose levels are increased in the blood of patients and which contributes to tumor progression (J Immunol, 2012).

In the present project we aim to further characterize the mechanisms of complement activation initiation in lung cancer (both in cell lines and primary tumors), evaluate the diagnostic utility of complement activation markers, mainly C4d, in various clinically revealing series already available (including cohorts of high-risk individuals enrolled in a CT screening program) and evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of inhibiting complement, mainly at the level of C3aR and C5aR, in various in vivo models of lung cancer. This study will allow us to identify and validate new diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets in lung cancer.

• Convocation: Health R&D Projects. AES 2014
• Reference: PI14/01686
• Duration: 3 years
• Start date: January 1, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2017
• Funder: Instituto de Salud Carlos III y cofinanciado por el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) “Una manera de hacer Europa”
• Grant: 110.715 €
• Nature of project: National