HLA-G Molecule Drives Growth and Survival in Kidney Cancer Cells

Kidney cancer cells grow faster, move more easily, and evade the body’s natural defenses by producing a specific molecule called HLA-G, according to new research published in the scientific journal OncoImmunology.

Researchers at the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University and Wellstar MCG Health discovered that the molecule does far more than help tumors hide from immune cells. The study, titled HLA-G functions as a tumor-intrinsic driver of growth and survival in renal cell carcinoma, reveals that HLA-G actively drives tumor growth and extends cancer cell survival.

Kidney cancer, medically known as renal cell carcinoma, develops when cells inside the kidneys begin multiplying uncontrollably. While medical treatments have advanced over the years, certain forms of the disease continue to resist therapies and successfully dodge the immune system.

The research team, led by Anatolij Horuzsko, set out to understand how these cancer cells protect themselves so effectively. In laboratory experiments, cells producing the HLA-G molecule grew at an accelerated rate, migrated more easily throughout tissue, and showed a lower rate of cell death compared to cancer cells lacking the molecule.

The experiments also indicated that HLA-G alters how cancer cells manage their energy usage while blocking immune cells from mounting an attack. When researchers blocked the molecule during laboratory testing, both cancer cell growth and survival declined.

“Understanding how cancer cells protect themselves and continue to grow is an important step toward finding new ways to fight the disease,” said Anatolij Horuzsko, a professor of medicine, biochemistry and molecular biology, Graduate Studies at the Georgia Cancer Center and Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.

While the laboratory findings point toward a potential new target for future therapies, additional research is required to determine if blocking HLA-G can translate into a safe and effective treatment for human patients.

“The findings also point to HLA-G as a possible target for future cancer treatments,” Horuzsko said. “When we blocked HLA-G in laboratory experiments, there was a decrease in cancer cell survival and growth. However, additional research is needed to understand how this approach might work in patients and whether it could become a safe and effective treatment.”

High school students Useong Chang and Mia Lin contributed to the published manuscript through the Georgia Cancer Center’s Summer Research Experience program, working alongside scientists in active laboratories.

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