Report on the first SLFN11 monothematic workshop: from function to role as a biomarker in cancer

• Published in: Journal of translational medicine Vol. 15; no. 1; p. 199
• Main Authors: Ballestrero, Alberto, Bedognetti, Davide, Ferraioli, Domenico, Franceschelli, Paola, Labidi-Galy, Sana Intidhar, Leo, Elisabetta, Murai, Junko, Pommier, Yves, Tsantoulis, Petros, Vellone, Valerio Gaetano, Zoppoli, Gabriele
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 02.10.2017; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Alkylation; Biological markers; Biomarker; Biomarkers; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Breast cancer; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Carboplatin; Care and treatment; Cell cycle; Cell Cycle Checkpoints - drug effects; Chemotherapy; Colorectal cancer; Conferences, meetings and seminars; Consensus; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Diagnosis; DNA; DNA Damage; DNA damage repair; DNA helicase; DNA methylation; DNA topoisomerase; Encyclopedias; Feasibility studies; Gene expression; Generalized linear models; Genomes; Human behavior; Humans; Immune system; Interferon; Medical prognosis; Meeting Report; Mutagens - toxicity; Mutation; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - immunology; Neoplasms - metabolism; Neoplasms - pathology; Nuclear Proteins - metabolism; Ovarian cancer; Ovarian carcinoma; Paclitaxel; Phenotype; Platinum; Platinum compounds; Prognosis; Proteins; RNA helicase; SLFN11; Taxol; Thymocytes; Tumors; DNA damage repair; Biomarker; Chemotherapy; Prognosis; SLFN11; Colorectal cancer; Prediction; Breast cancer; Immune system; Ovarian cancer
• ISSN: 1479-5876; 1479-5876
• DOI: 10.1186/s12967-017-1296-3

SLFN11 is a recently discovered protein with a putative DNA/RNA helicase function. First identified in association with the maturation of thymocytes, SLFN11 was later causally associated, by two independent groups, with the resistance to DNA damaging agents such as topoisomerase I and II inhibitors, platinum compounds, and other alkylators, making it an attractive molecule for biomarker development. Later, SLFN11 was linked to antiviral response in human cells and interferon production, establishing a potential bond between immunity and chemotherapy. Recently, we demonstrated the potential role of SLN11 as a biomarker to predict sensitivity to the carboplatin/taxol combination in ovarian cancer. The present manuscript reports on the first international monothematic workshop on SLFN11. Several researchers from around the world, directly and actively involved in the discovery, functional characterization, and study of SLFN11 for its biomarker and medicinal properties gathered to share their views on the current knowledge advances concerning SLFN11. The aim of the manuscript is to summarize the authors' interventions and the main take-home messages resulting from the workshop.