Ricerc@Sapienza

Mast cells (MCs) are tissue resident sentinels that orchestrate inflammation in response to infection and allergens. They are also frequently observed in tumors, suggesting their contribution in the transition from persistent inflammation to carcinoma. However, the role of MCs in the contest of colorectal cancer (CRC) microenvironment is still debated. In particular, whether different subsets of MCs infiltrate the tumor in different stages of disease progression and whether and how MCs affects tumor development has not been clarified yet.
To gain insight into this issue we will use a conventional model of colitis-induced CRC. We will focus on MC phenotype and functions both in term of granule-stored specific proteases and ability to produce different pro-inflammatory cytokines and pro-angiogenic factors in order to characterize discrete subsets of MCs in tumor microenvironment and their impact on disease progression.
Understanding the role of MCs in tumor development and progression would be of critical importance for the development of new targeted therapies for CRC.