The Yin and Yang aspects of IL-27 in induction of cancer-specific T-cell responses and immunotherapy. (February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Ming-Song; Liu, Zhenzhen; Liu, Jin-Qing; Zhu, Xiaotong; Liu, Zhihao; Bai, Xue-Feng
• Is Part Of: Immunotherapy. Volume 7:Number 2(2015:Feb.)
• Page Start: 191
• Page End: 200
• Publication Date: 2015-02
• Subjects: cancer immunotherapy -- IL-27 -- IL-12 -- regulatory T cells -- T-effector stem cells; Immunotherapy -- Periodicals; 615.37
• DOI: 10.2217/imt.14.95
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-743X

Abstract

Accumulating evidences from animal studies have indicated that both endogenous and exogenous IL-27, an IL-12 family of cytokine, can increase antitumor T-cell activities and inhibit tumor growth. IL-27 can modulate Treg responses, and program effector T cells into a unique T-effector stem cell (TSEC ) phenotype, which enhances T-cell survival in the tumor microenvironment. However, animal studies also suggest that IL-27 induces molecular pathways such as IL-10, PD-L1 and CD39, which may downregulate tumor-specific T-cell responses. In this review paper, we will discuss the Yin and Yang aspects of IL-27 in the induction of tumor-specific T-cell responses, and the potential impacts of these functions of IL-27 in the design of cancer immunotherapy.