Kristine Pettersen
About
Research
The progression of solid tumors is significantly influenced by the local immune microenvironment. Immunologically “cold” tumors exhibit clear signs of local immune suppression, tend to develop more aggressively, and respond poorly to treatment. Conversely, immunologically “hot” tumors are associated with a favorable prognosis and better responses to therapy. My research focuses on the interactions between the immune system and cancer cells, and how these interactions shape the tumor microenvironment and support aggressive cancer development.
Interestingly, the communication between cancer cells and non-cancerous cells, such as immune cells, is not confined to the tumor's borders. Systemic effects of cancer development are common and can be life-threatening for many patients. A prime example is cancer cachexia, a severe muscle wasting syndrome that affects up to 80% of cancer patients and is responsible for 20-30% of cancer-related deaths. Early diagnosis of cachexia is extremely challenging, and due to the limited understanding of its underlying mechanisms, no curative treatment currently exists. My research aims to elucidate the communication between cancer cells, immune cells, and muscle cells, and how this interaction contributes to muscle loss (cachexia).
The goal of the research is to identify diagnostic and prognostic markers for aggressive cancer development and cancer-related muscle loss, and to develop new strategies for targeted treatment.
Autophagy and tumor immunity
We combine data from tumors in immunocompetent mouse models with data mining from large databases of tumor biopsy and clinical information. The aim is to explore the hypothesis that autophagy is a selective cellular mechanism that controls tumor immunity.
Tumor immunity and cancer cachexia
We are studying the interplay between cancer cells, innate immune cells and muscle cells that leads to severe protein degradation and muscle atrophy in cachexia patients.
Publications
2024
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Lamsal, Apsana;
Andersen, Sonja Benedikte;
Johansson, Ida;
Drigeard Desgarnier, Marie-Catherine Anne Danielle;
Wolowczyk, Camilla Izabel;
Engedal, Nikolai.
(2024)
Elucidating the power of arginine restriction: taming type I interferon response in breast cancer via selective autophagy.
Cell Communication and Signaling
Academic article
2023
-
Pettersen, Kristine.
(2023)
Kreftkakeksi – Hva er det?.
Tidsskrift for kreftsykepleiere
Article in business/trade/industry journal
-
Bokil, Ansooya Avinash;
Børkja, Mathieu;
Wolowczyk, Camilla Izabel;
Lamsal, Apsana;
Prestvik, Wenche Slettahjell;
Nonstad, Unni.
(2023)
Discovery of a new marker to identify myeloid cells associated with metastatic breast tumours.
Cancer Cell International
Academic article
-
Lamsal, Apsana;
Andersen, Sonja Benedikte;
Johansson, Ida;
Vietri, Marina;
Bokil, Ansooya Avinash;
Kurganovs, Natalie Jayne.
(2023)
Opposite and dynamic regulation of the interferon response in metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer.
Cell Communication and Signaling
Academic article
2022
-
Marwarha, Gurdeep Singh Atamjit;
Pinho, Maria;
Scrimgeour, Nathan Robert;
Slagsvold, Katrine Hordnes;
Wahba, Alexander;
Røsbjørgen, Ragnhild.
(2022)
Loss of the protein disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) impairs cardiac resistance against ischemia.
bioRxiv
Academic article
2019
-
Pettersen, Kristine;
Andersen, Sonja Benedikte;
van der Veen, Anna;
Nonstad, Unni;
Hatakeyema, Shinji;
Lambert, Christian.
(2019)
Autocrine activin A signalling in ovarian cancer cells regulates secretion of interleukin 6, autophagy, and cachexia.
Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle
Academic article
2017
-
Pettersen, Kristine;
Andersen, Sonja Benedikte;
Degen, Simone;
Tadini, Valentina;
Grosjean, Joël;
Hatakeyama, Shinji.
(2017)
Cancer cachexia associates with a systemic autophagy-inducing activity mimicked by cancer cell-derived IL-6 trans-signaling.
Scientific Reports
Academic article
2016
-
Pettersen, Kristine.
(2016)
Autophagy as a survival mechanism or a cause of disease.
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Doctoral dissertation
-
Pettersen, Kristine;
Monsen, Vivi Anita Talstad;
Pettersen, Caroline Hild;
Overland, Hilde Bremseth;
Pettersen, Grete Klippenvåg;
Samdal, Helle.
(2016)
DHA-induced stress response in human colon cancer cells - Focus on oxidative stress and autophagy.
Free Radical Biology & Medicine
Academic article
2015
-
Johansson, Ida;
Monsen, Vivi Anita Talstad;
Pettersen, Kristine;
Mildenberger, Jennifer;
Misund, Kristine;
Kaarniranta, Kai.
(2015)
The marine n-3 PUFA DHA evokes cytoprotection against oxidative stress and protein misfolding by inducing autophagy and NFE2L2 in human retinal pigment epithelial cells.
Autophagy
Academic article
-
Cebulla, Jana;
Huuse-Røneid, Else Marie;
Pettersen, Kristine;
van der Veen, Anna;
Kim, Eugene;
Andersen, Sonja.
(2015)
MRI Reveals the in Vivo Cellular and Vascular Response to BEZ235 in Ovarian Cancer Xenografts with Different PI3-Kinase Pathway Activity.
British Journal of Cancer
Academic article
Journal publications
-
Lamsal, Apsana;
Andersen, Sonja Benedikte;
Johansson, Ida;
Drigeard Desgarnier, Marie-Catherine Anne Danielle;
Wolowczyk, Camilla Izabel;
Engedal, Nikolai.
(2024)
Elucidating the power of arginine restriction: taming type I interferon response in breast cancer via selective autophagy.
Cell Communication and Signaling
Academic article
-
Pettersen, Kristine.
(2023)
Kreftkakeksi – Hva er det?.
Tidsskrift for kreftsykepleiere
Article in business/trade/industry journal
-
Bokil, Ansooya Avinash;
Børkja, Mathieu;
Wolowczyk, Camilla Izabel;
Lamsal, Apsana;
Prestvik, Wenche Slettahjell;
Nonstad, Unni.
(2023)
Discovery of a new marker to identify myeloid cells associated with metastatic breast tumours.
Cancer Cell International
Academic article
-
Lamsal, Apsana;
Andersen, Sonja Benedikte;
Johansson, Ida;
Vietri, Marina;
Bokil, Ansooya Avinash;
Kurganovs, Natalie Jayne.
(2023)
Opposite and dynamic regulation of the interferon response in metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer.
Cell Communication and Signaling
Academic article
-
Marwarha, Gurdeep Singh Atamjit;
Pinho, Maria;
Scrimgeour, Nathan Robert;
Slagsvold, Katrine Hordnes;
Wahba, Alexander;
Røsbjørgen, Ragnhild.
(2022)
Loss of the protein disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) impairs cardiac resistance against ischemia.
bioRxiv
Academic article
-
Pettersen, Kristine;
Andersen, Sonja Benedikte;
van der Veen, Anna;
Nonstad, Unni;
Hatakeyema, Shinji;
Lambert, Christian.
(2019)
Autocrine activin A signalling in ovarian cancer cells regulates secretion of interleukin 6, autophagy, and cachexia.
Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle
Academic article
-
Pettersen, Kristine;
Andersen, Sonja Benedikte;
Degen, Simone;
Tadini, Valentina;
Grosjean, Joël;
Hatakeyama, Shinji.
(2017)
Cancer cachexia associates with a systemic autophagy-inducing activity mimicked by cancer cell-derived IL-6 trans-signaling.
Scientific Reports
Academic article
-
Pettersen, Kristine;
Monsen, Vivi Anita Talstad;
Pettersen, Caroline Hild;
Overland, Hilde Bremseth;
Pettersen, Grete Klippenvåg;
Samdal, Helle.
(2016)
DHA-induced stress response in human colon cancer cells - Focus on oxidative stress and autophagy.
Free Radical Biology & Medicine
Academic article
-
Johansson, Ida;
Monsen, Vivi Anita Talstad;
Pettersen, Kristine;
Mildenberger, Jennifer;
Misund, Kristine;
Kaarniranta, Kai.
(2015)
The marine n-3 PUFA DHA evokes cytoprotection against oxidative stress and protein misfolding by inducing autophagy and NFE2L2 in human retinal pigment epithelial cells.
Autophagy
Academic article
-
Cebulla, Jana;
Huuse-Røneid, Else Marie;
Pettersen, Kristine;
van der Veen, Anna;
Kim, Eugene;
Andersen, Sonja.
(2015)
MRI Reveals the in Vivo Cellular and Vascular Response to BEZ235 in Ovarian Cancer Xenografts with Different PI3-Kinase Pathway Activity.
British Journal of Cancer
Academic article
Report
-
Pettersen, Kristine.
(2016)
Autophagy as a survival mechanism or a cause of disease.
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Doctoral dissertation
Teaching
Courses
Outreach
2024
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Popular scientific lecturePettersen, Kristine. (2024) Hva skjer bak kulissene ved kreft og muskeltap?. Kreftforeningen Kreftforeningens pris for unge kreftforskere 2023 2024-01-10 - 2024-01-10
2023
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Popular scientific lecturePettersen, Kristine. (2023) Møt en Forsker: Muskeltap i kreft - Kan det forhindres?. Kreftforeningen Møt en forsker , Kreftforeningens vitensenter, Oslo 2023-01-24 - 2023-01-24
2019
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InterviewBjørkøy, Geir; Pettersen, Kristine; Andersen, Sonja Benedikte. (2019) Slik bryter kreften ned musklene. ABC Nyheter ABC Nyheter [Internet] 2019-09-09
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InterviewBjørkøy, Geir; Pettersen, Kristine; Andersen, Sonja Benedikte. (2019) Hvordan muskulatur brytes ned av kreft. Fysioterapeuten Fysioterapeuten [Business/trade/industry journal] 2019-09-24
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InterviewBjørkøy, Geir; Pettersen, Kristine; Andersen, Sonja Benedikte. (2019) Slik bryter kreften ned musklene. Teknisk Ukeblad Teknisk Ukeblad [Business/trade/industry journal] 2019-09-09
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InterviewBjørkøy, Geir; Pettersen, Kristine; Andersen, Sonja Benedikte. (2019) Slik bryter kreften ned musklene dine. Gemini - Trondheim Gemini - Trondheim [Business/trade/industry journal] 2019-09-07
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PosterPettersen, Kristine; Andersen, Sonja Benedikte; Tadini, Valentina; Hatakeyama, Shinji; Nonstad, Unni; Grønberg, Bjørn Henning. (2019) IL-6 secreted from cancer cells induce autophagy and cancer cachexia. Conference on Molecular Mechanisms of Inflammation 2019 2019-06-03 - 2019-06-06
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PosterPettersen, Kristine; Andersen, Sonja Benedikte; van der Veen, Anna; Nonstad, Unni; Hatakeyama, Shinji; Lambert, Christian. (2019) Autocrine activin A signaling regulates secretion of interleukin 6, autophagy, and cachexia. The 12th international conference on Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle Wasting 2019-12-06 - 2019-12-08
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InterviewBugge, Stella; Pettersen, Kristine; Bjørkøy, Geir; Andersen, Sonja Benedikte. (2019) Ny forskning kan gi nytt håp: Slik virker kreft på kroppen. VG VG [Newspaper] 2019-09-07
2016
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PosterPettersen, Kristine; Andersen, Sonja Benedikte; Moestue, Siver Andreas; Nonstad, Unni; Romundstad, Pål Richard; Skorpen, Frank. (2016) Tumor-derived IL-6 contributes to cancer cachexia by increasing autophagy. Conference on Molecular mechanisms of inflammation 2016-05-30 - 2016-06-02
2013
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PosterPettersen, Kristine; Andersen, Sonja Benedikte; Moestue, Siver Andreas; Tesfahun, Almaz Nigatu; Sørhaug, Sveinung; Amundsen, Tore. (2013) Systemically accelerated autophagy causal in cancer cachexia?. Seventh cachexia conference 2013-12-09 - 2013-12-11
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PosterPettersen, Kristine; Andersen, Sonja Benedikte; Tesfahun, Almaz Nigatu; Skorpen, Frank; Moestue, Siver Andreas; Fearon, Kenneth. (2013) A role of autophagy in cancer cachexia. EMBO conference, Autophagy: molecular mechanisms, physiology and pathology 2013-05-05 - 2013-05-09
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Academic lectureJohansson, Ida; Bjørkøy, Geir; Monsen, Vivi; Pettersen, Kristine; Schønberg, Svanhild Margrethe Arentz. (2013) Targeting autophagy in Disease Prevention; Effects of Marine Lipids in normal cells. 2nd NordForsk Autophagy meeting 2013-10-01 -
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PosterJohansson, Ida; Monsen, Vivi; Pettersen, Kristine; Schønberg, Svanhild Margrethe Arentz; Bjørkøy, Geir. (2013) Targeting Autophagy in Disease Prevention and Theraphy; Effect of PUFAs in Normal and Cancer cells. 2nd NordForsk Autophagy meeting 2013-10-01 - 2013-10-03
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PosterJohansson, Ida; Monsen, Vivi; Pettersen, Kristine; Schønberg, Svanhild Margrethe Arentz; Bjørkøy, Geir. (2013) Targeting Autophagy in Disease Prevention and Theraphy; Effect of PUFAs in Normal and Cancer cells. EMBO EMBO Autophagy conference 2013-05-05 - 2013-05-09
2012
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Academic lectureMonsen, Vivi Talstad; Pettersen, Kristine; Overland, Hilde Bremseth; Pettersen, Caroline Hild; Lundemo, Anne Gøril; Schønberg, Svanhild Margrethe Arentz. (2012) A role for autophagy in the disease preventive effects of the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid. Nordic Autophagy Network 1st Nordic Autophagy Network Meeting 2012 , Asker 2012-06-15 - 2012-06-17
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PosterPettersen, Kristine; Andersen, Sonja Benedikte; Tesfahun, Almaz Nigatu; Skorpen, Frank; Fearon, Kenneth; Strasser, Florian. (2012) A role of autophagy in cancer cachexia. Cancer Cachexia: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches 2012-09-21 - 2012-09-23
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PosterJohansson, Ida; Pettersen, Kristine; Monsen, Vivi; Schønberg, Svanhild Margrethe Arentz; Bjørkøy, Geir; Lundemo, Anne Gøril. (2012) Tergeting Autophagy in Disease Prevention and Theraphy; Effect of PUFAs in Normal and Cancer cells. 6th International Symposium on Autophagy , Okinawa 2012-10-28 - 2012-11-01
2011
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Academic lecturePettersen, Kristine. (2011) Autophagy as a target for disease prevention and therapy. Fagseminar (institutt for laboratoriemedisin, barne- og kvinnesykdommer, NTNU) 2011-04-27 -
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Popular scientific lecturePettersen, Kristine. (2011) Kan vekttap ved langtkommet kreftsykdom skyldes ødeleggelse av normale celler? - Og vil vi i framtida kunne hindre denne ødeleggelsen?. Tronett Forskningsdagene 2011 2011-09-26 -
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Academic lecturePettersen, Kristine. (2011) Autophagy as a target for disease prevention and therapy. Norsk Biokjemisk Selskap (NBS) seminar 2011-04-01 -
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Academic lecturePettersen, Kristine. (2011) Real time monitoring of cellular responses to identify time points for decisive changes in gene expression. Roche’s xCELLigence System Global User Conference 2011-05-04 -