Sylvia Deborde Why Do Shwann Cells Invade

Sylvia Deborde is a research scientist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center who has developed a research interest in studying and trying to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind cancer cell invasion in the nerves. More specifically, Deborde’s research focuses on analyzing the vital role that Schwann cells play in perineural invasion, the process in which cancer cells invade the nerves. Deborde began the seminar by explaining how the nerves are part of the tumor microenvironment and how cancer cells can invade the nerves in the process of perineural invasion. Deborde described perineural invasion as a type of metastatic invasion, where the cancer cells spread from its origin site in the nerves to different areas of
Deborde chose to examine Schwann cells because it is one of the main components of the nerve and are in constant contact with the cancer cells in the peripheral nervous system, making them the perfect cells to study cancer invasion. Moreover, in response to a nerve injury, Schwann cells form tubes called “bands of hunger” to create a path for neurons and help direct them towards a specific target. Thus, Deborde hypothesized that Schwann cells would help guide cancer cells following the process of cancer invasion in a similar way to how Schwann cells help guide neurons during nerve repair. To test this hypothesis, Deborde injected cancer cells into the nerves of mice and found that there was a close association of a gene called GFAP (Glial fibrillary acidic protein) with Schwann cells and cancer cells. Moreover, after closely examining the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) explants from mice, Deborde was able to conclude that Schwann cells are responsible for recruiting cancer cells on DRG neurites. Deborde was also able discover that a regulator molecule called RA (retinoic acid) induces Schwann cell activation and increases Schwann cell migration. In contrast, Deborde