Christina Cho, PhD
Associate Research Scientist
Research & Publications
Biography
Research Summary
Identifying the role of the tumor microenvironment in cancer development and progression.
Key words: stromagenesis, cancer-associated fibroblast, immune surveillance, immune evasion
Extensive Research Description
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
Coauthors
Research Interests
Autoimmune Diseases; Digestive System Neoplasms; Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Precancerous Conditions; Skin Neoplasms; Stomach Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal
Selected Publications
- 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.
- Induction of the activating transcription factor-4 in the intratumoral CD8+ T cells sustains their viability and anti-tumor activitiesLu 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.
- Could 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.
- Ablation of T cell-associated PD-1H enhances functionality and promotes adoptive immunotherapyHu 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.
- Regulation of intercellular biomolecule transfer–driven tumor angiogenesis and responses to anticancer therapiesLu 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.
- Cancer-associated fibroblasts downregulate type I interferon receptor to stimulate intratumoral stromagenesisCho 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.
- Activation of p38α stress-activated protein kinase drives the formation of the pre-metastatic niche in the lungsGui J, Zahedi F, Ortiz A, Cho C, Katlinski K, Alicea-Torres K, Li J, Todd L, Zhang H, Beiting D, Sander C, Kirkwood J, Snow B, Wakeham A, Mak T, Diehl J, Koumenis C, Ryeom S, Stanger B, Puré E, Gabrilovich D, Fuchs S. Activation of p38α stress-activated protein kinase drives the formation of the pre-metastatic niche in the lungs. Nature Cancer 2020, 1: 603-619. PMID: 34124690, PMCID: PMC8194112, DOI: 10.1038/s43018-020-0064-0.
- Fibronectin in the Tumor Microenvironment Activates a TLR4-dependent Inflammatory Response in Lung Cancer CellsCho C, Horzempa C, Longo CM, Peters DM, Jones DM, McKeown-Longo PJ. Fibronectin in the Tumor Microenvironment Activates a TLR4-dependent Inflammatory Response in Lung Cancer Cells. Journal Of Cancer 2020, 11: 3099-3105. PMID: 32231714, PMCID: PMC7097952, DOI: 10.7150/jca.39771.
- Activation of p38α stress-activated protein kinase drives the formation of the pre-metastatic niche in the lungsGui J, Zahedi F, Ortiz A, Cho C, Katlinski K V, Alicea-Torres K et al. Activation of p38α stress-activated protein kinase drives the formation of the pre-metastatic niche in the lungs. Nat Cancer 2020; 1: 603–619
- An Interferon-Driven Oxysterol-Based Defense against Tumor-Derived Extracellular VesiclesOrtiz A, Gui J, Zahedi F, Yu P, Cho C, Bhattacharya S, Carbone CJ, Yu Q, Katlinski KV, Katlinskaya YV, Handa S, Haas V, Volk SW, Brice AK, Wals K, Matheson NJ, Antrobus R, Ludwig S, Whiteside TL, Sander C, Tarhini AA, Kirkwood JM, Lehner PJ, Guo W, Rui H, Minn AJ, Koumenis C, Diehl JA, Fuchs SY. An Interferon-Driven Oxysterol-Based Defense against Tumor-Derived Extracellular Vesicles. Cancer Cell 2019, 35: 33-45.e6. PMID: 30645975, PMCID: PMC6336114, DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2018.12.001.
- The fibronectin III-1 domain activates a PI3-Kinase/Akt signaling pathway leading to αvβ5 integrin activation and TRAIL resistance in human lung cancer cellsCho C, Horzempa C, Jones D, McKeown-Longo PJ. The fibronectin III-1 domain activates a PI3-Kinase/Akt signaling pathway leading to αvβ5 integrin activation and TRAIL resistance in human lung cancer cells. BMC Cancer 2016, 16: 574. PMID: 27484721, PMCID: PMC4970220, DOI: 10.1186/s12885-016-2621-6.
- The Fibronectin III‐1 Domain Activates a PI3‐Kinase/Akt Signaling Pathway Leading to αvβ5 Integrin Activation and TRAIL Resistance in Human Lung Cancer CellsCho C, McKeown‐Longo P. The Fibronectin III‐1 Domain Activates a PI3‐Kinase/Akt Signaling Pathway Leading to αvβ5 Integrin Activation and TRAIL Resistance in Human Lung Cancer Cells. The FASEB Journal 2016, 30 DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.lb82.
- Cryptic activity within the Type III1 domain of fibronectin regulates tissue inflammation and angiogenesis.Cho C, Kelsh-Lasher R, Ambesi A, McKeown-Longo PJ. Cryptic activity within the Type III1 domain of fibronectin regulates tissue inflammation and angiogenesis. Current Topics In Peptide & Protein Research 2015, 16: 37-47. PMID: 27524870, PMCID: PMC4981920.