Christina Cho, PhD
Associate Research ScientistCards
About
Research
Overview
Previous research interests:
- Mechanosignaling within solid tumors: identifying the role of unfolded fibronectin fibrils in the cancer phenotype and drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer
- Uncovering novel anti-tumorigenic activities of type I interferons
- Investigating the role of dyresgulated cholesterol biosynthesis in solid tumor progression
Current research interests
- Identification of novel cell surface receptors and/or ligands that control T cell response to tumor antigens
- Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying immune evasion during tumor progression
- Development of new immuno- and chemotherapies against human cancers
Medical Research Interests
Autoimmune Diseases; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal; Digestive System Neoplasms; Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Precancerous Conditions; Skin Neoplasms; Stomach Neoplasms
Publications
2025
Spatial transcriptomics reveals differential inflammatory pathways in discoid lupus erythematosus and lichen planus
Kidacki M, Cho C, Lopez-Giraldez F, Breidbart R, Jaiswal A, Lee M, Chowdhury S, Damsky W, Chen L, Vesely M. Spatial transcriptomics reveals differential inflammatory pathways in discoid lupus erythematosus and lichen planus. Journal Of Investigative Dermatology 2025 PMID: 40113031, DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2025.02.148.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPD-1H (VISTA) expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is correlated with T cell infiltration and activation
Kidacki M, Cho C, Lopez-Giraldez F, Huang B, He J, Gaule P, Chen L, Vesely M. PD-1H (VISTA) expression in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is correlated with T cell infiltration and activation. Journal Of Investigative Dermatology 2025 PMID: 39983979, DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2025.01.030.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCutaneous squamous cell carcinomaPD-L1 expressionT cell infiltrationPD-L1Squamous cell carcinomaVISTA expressionPD-1HCell carcinomaT cellsBlockade of PD-1Proliferation marker Ki-67Multiplexed quantitative immunofluorescencePD-L1 coexpressionTreatment of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomaControl T cellsPreclinical cancer studiesMyeloid cell functionImmunosuppressive microenvironmentPD-1Receptor antagonismKi-67Individual tumorsGranzyme B.Clinical trialsCancer clinical trials
2024
207 Spatial transcriptomic profiling non-small cell lung cancer reveals potential drivers of CTL exclusion and dysfunction, and identifies novel predictive biomarkers for checkpoint blockade therapy
Cho C, Lopez-Giraldez F, Huang B, He J, Woodard G, Badri T, Kidacki M, Vesely M, Wang G, Ofori-Ntiamoah G, Ng E, Chen L. 207 Spatial transcriptomic profiling non-small cell lung cancer reveals potential drivers of CTL exclusion and dysfunction, and identifies novel predictive biomarkers for checkpoint blockade therapy. 2024, a236-a236. DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2024-sitc2024.0207.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSpatial Transcriptomics in Inflammatory Skin Diseases Using GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling: A Practical Guide for Applications in Dermatology
Cho C, Haddadi N, Kidacki M, Woodard G, Shakiba S, Yıldız-Altay Ü, Richmond J, Vesely M. Spatial Transcriptomics in Inflammatory Skin Diseases Using GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling: A Practical Guide for Applications in Dermatology. JID Innovations 2024, 5: 100317. PMID: 39559817, PMCID: PMC11570843, DOI: 10.1016/j.xjidi.2024.100317.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDigital spatial profilingInflammatory skin diseaseGeoMx Digital Spatial ProfilerSkin diseasesDiscoid lupus erythematosusNanoString GeoMx Digital Spatial ProfilingImmune milieuImmune microenvironmentLichen planusLupus erythematosusSingle cell RNA sequencingAberrant inflammationCell RNA sequencingSkin disease pathogenesisDisease pathogenesisManufacturer's guidelinesIndicators of diseaseDiseaseSpatial transcriptomics platformSkinTissue processing
2022
Tumor-Suppressive and Immune-Stimulating Roles of Cholesterol 25-hydroxylase in Pancreatic Cancer Cells.
McBrearty N, Cho C, Chen J, Zahedi F, Peck A, Radaelli E, Assenmacher C, Pavlak C, Devine A, Yu P, Lu Z, Zhang H, Li J, Pitarresi J, Astsaturov I, Cukierman E, Rustgi A, Stanger B, Rui H, Fuchs S. Tumor-Suppressive and Immune-Stimulating Roles of Cholesterol 25-hydroxylase in Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Molecular Cancer Research 2022, 21: 228-239. PMID: 36378658, PMCID: PMC9992122, DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-22-0602.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPancreatic ductal adenocarcinomaPancreatic cancer cellsPDAC cellsCH25H expressionTumor growthT cell tumor infiltrationMouse PDAC cellsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsCancer cellsDownregulation of MHCPancreatic intraepithelial neoplasiaImmune-competent hostsHuman pancreatic cancerPotential translational importanceAccumulation of cholesterolCheckpoint inhibitorsIntraepithelial neoplasiaPoor prognosisTumor infiltrationPancreatic cancerDuctal adenocarcinomaTherapeutic approachesCH25HTumor progressionCholesterol deficitInduction of the activating transcription factor-4 in the intratumoral CD8+ T cells sustains their viability and anti-tumor activities
Lu Z, Bae E, Verginadis I, Zhang H, Cho C, McBrearty N, George S, Diehl J, Koumenis C, Bradley L, Fuchs S. Induction of the activating transcription factor-4 in the intratumoral CD8+ T cells sustains their viability and anti-tumor activities. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy 2022, 72: 815-826. PMID: 36063172, PMCID: PMC10317204, DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03286-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsActivity of CD8Tumor-derived factorsT cellsTumor microenvironmentTranscription factor 4Anti-tumor immunityImmune suppressive factorsFactor 4Anti-tumor activityFunction of ATF4Anti-cancer therapyIntratumoral CD8Cytotoxic CD8Immune therapyTherapeutic regimensAntigenic stimulationCD8Suppressive factorsT lymphocytesMouse modelImpaired activationWild-type counterpartsSelective ablationTherapyInduction of ATF4Could Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Copy Number Alterations be a Predictive Biomarker for Immunotherapy Response?
Woodard GA, Cho C, Chen L. Could Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Copy Number Alterations be a Predictive Biomarker for Immunotherapy Response? Journal Of Thoracic Oncology 2022, 17: 592-595. PMID: 35465963, DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2022.03.009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAblation of T cell-associated PD-1H enhances functionality and promotes adoptive immunotherapy
Hu L, Chen L, Xiao Z, Zheng X, Chen Y, Xian N, Cho C, Luo L, Huang G, Chen L. Ablation of T cell-associated PD-1H enhances functionality and promotes adoptive immunotherapy. JCI Insight 2022, 7: e148247. PMID: 34905507, PMCID: PMC8855794, DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.148247.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPD-1HT cellsAdoptive immunotherapyT cell-mediated immune responsesT-cell adoptive immunotherapyAdoptive T-cell therapyCell-mediated immune responsesTumor-infiltrating CD8Antitumor activityT-cell therapySyngeneic mouse tumorsCAR T cellsDeath-1 homologExperimental tumor modelsAdoptive transferActivated CD8Coinhibitory moleculesCytokine productionDeficient miceImmune responseHuman xenograftsCD8Tumor microenvironmentTumor modelMouse tumors
2021
Regulation of intercellular biomolecule transfer–driven tumor angiogenesis and responses to anticancer therapies
Lu Z, Ortiz A, Verginadis I, Peck A, Zahedi F, Cho C, Yu P, DeRita R, Zhang H, Kubanoff R, Sun Y, Yaspan A, Krespan E, Beiting D, Radaelli E, Ryeom S, Diehl J, Rui H, Koumenis C, Fuchs S. Regulation of intercellular biomolecule transfer–driven tumor angiogenesis and responses to anticancer therapies. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2021, 131: e144225. PMID: 33998600, PMCID: PMC8121529, DOI: 10.1172/jci144225.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTumor growthEndothelial cellsMetastatic diseaseAnticancer therapyPoor disease outcomeColorectal cancerIntratumoral angiogenesisAngiostatic effectsDisease outcomeTherapeutic effectSide effectsOverall efficacyPharmacologic inhibitionTumor angiogenesisCH25HTherapyBenign cellsAngiogenesisDiseaseLow levelsCellsRegimensPatientsReserpineCancer
2020
Cancer-associated fibroblasts downregulate type I interferon receptor to stimulate intratumoral stromagenesis
Cho C, Mukherjee R, Peck AR, Sun Y, McBrearty N, Katlinski KV, Gui J, Govindaraju PK, Puré E, Rui H, Fuchs SY. Cancer-associated fibroblasts downregulate type I interferon receptor to stimulate intratumoral stromagenesis. Oncogene 2020, 39: 6129-6137. PMID: 32807917, PMCID: PMC7502515, DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01424-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCancer-associated fibroblastsFibroblast activation proteinType I interferon receptorTumor growthPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tumorsInterferon receptorKnockdown of Smad7Human colorectal cancerGrowth of tumorsSA miceColorectal cancerAdenocarcinoma tumorsSolid tumorsIFNAR1 downregulationGenetic ablationTumorsActivation proteinElevated levelsExtracellular matrixInverse correlationMiceStromagenesisIFNAR1IFNAR1 chainFAP levels