{"entity": "publication", "iuid": "70ac63f480cd4a15ab66b9b635ba590a", "timestamp": "2026-08-23T22:15:28.133Z", "links": {"self": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/70ac63f480cd4a15ab66b9b635ba590a.json"}, "display": {"href": "https://publications-affiliated.scilifelab.se/publication/70ac63f480cd4a15ab66b9b635ba590a"}}, "title": "BCG-induced cytokine release in bladder cancer cells is regulated by Ca2+ signaling.", "authors": [{"family": "Ibarra", "given": "Cristi\u00e1n", "initials": "C"}, {"family": "Karlsson", "given": "Marie", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Codeluppi", "given": "Simone", "initials": "S"}, {"family": "Varas-Godoy", "given": "Manuel", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Zhang", "given": "Songbai", "initials": "S"}, {"family": "Louhivuori", "given": "Lauri", "initials": "L"}, {"family": "Mangsbo", "given": "Sara", "initials": "S"}, {"family": "Hosseini", "given": "Arad", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Soltani", "given": "Navid", "initials": "N"}, {"family": "Kaba", "given": "Rahim", "initials": "R"}, {"family": "Kalle Lundgren", "given": "T", "initials": "T"}, {"family": "Hosseini", "given": "Abolfazl", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Tanaka", "given": "Nobuyuki", "initials": "N"}, {"family": "Oya", "given": "Mototsugu", "initials": "M"}, {"family": "Wiklund", "given": "Peter", "initials": "P"}, {"family": "Miyakawa", "given": "Ayako", "initials": "A"}, {"family": "Uhl\u00e9n", "given": "Per", "initials": "P"}], "type": "journal article", "published": "2019-02-00", "journal": {"title": "Mol Oncol", "issn": "1878-0261", "volume": "13", "issue": "2", "pages": "202-211", "issn-l": "1574-7891"}, "abstract": "Bacillus Calmette-Gu\u00e9rin (BCG) is widely used in the clinic to effectively treat superficial urinary bladder cancer. However, a significant proportion of patients who fail to respond to BCG risk cystectomy or death. Though more than 3 million cancer treatments with BCG occur annually, surprisingly little is known about the initial signaling cascades activated by BCG. Here, we report that BCG induces a rapid intracellular Ca2+ (calcium ion) signal in bladder cancer cells that is essential for activating the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-\u03baB) and for synthesizing and secreting proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin 8 (IL-8). A similar Ca2+ response was observed when cells were exposed to the supernatant of BCG. Studying cellular molecular mechanisms involved in the BCG signaling event, we found pivotal roles for phospholipase C and the Toll-like receptor 4. Further assessment revealed that this signaling pathway induces synthesis of IL-8, whereas exocytosis appeared to be controlled by global Ca2+ signaling. These results shed new light on the molecular mechanisms underlying BCG treatment of bladder cancer, which can help in improving therapeutic efficacy and reducing adverse side effects.", "doi": "10.1002/1878-0261.12397", "pmid": "30358081", "labels": [], "xrefs": [{"db": "pmc", "key": "PMC6360358"}], "notes": [], "created": "2026-08-20T06:25:31.809Z", "modified": "2026-08-20T06:25:31.855Z"}