Significance

Recent discoveries have elucidated some of the mechanisms responsible for the development of mesothelioma. These discoveries are: (1) the critical role of chronic inflammation in promoting mesothelioma growth, driven by the release of high mobility group box protein-1 (HMGB1) following asbestos deposition in tissues and its potential role as a biomarker to identify asbestos exposed individuals and mesothelioma patients; (II) the discovery that inherited heterozygous germline mutations of the deubiquitylase BRCA-associated protein 1 (BAP1) cause a high incidence of mesothelioma in some families; and that (III) germline BAP1 mutations lower the threshold of asbestos required to cause mesothelioma in mice, evidence of gene X environment interaction. These findings together with the identification of novel serum biomarkers, including HMGB1, Fibuoin-3, etc., promise to revolutionize screening and treatment of this malignancy in the coming years.

 

Annals of Translational Medicine
Michele Carbone, Haining Yang

May 24, 2017 | Link: https://atm.amegroups.com/article/view/14824