Tsukamoto Hirotake, Fujieda Koji, Senju Satoru, Ikeda Tokunori, Oshiumi Hiroyuki, Nishimura Yasuharu
Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Department of Immunogenetics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
Cancer Sci. 2018 Mar;109(3):523-530. doi: 10.1111/cas.13433. Epub 2017 Nov 16.
Accompanied by the growing clinical applications of immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer patients, development of novel therapeutic approaches to reverse the immune-suppressive environment in cancer patients is eagerly anticipated, because the success of cancer immunotherapy is currently limited by immune-suppressive effects in tumor-bearing hosts. Interleukin (IL)-6, a pleotropic proinflammatory cytokine, participates in tumor cell-autonomous processes that are required for their survival and growth, and is therefore known as a poor prognostic factor in cancer patients. In addition, an emerging role of IL-6 in modulating multiple functions of immune cells including T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages is responsible for the dysfunction of innate and adaptive immunity against tumors. Therefore, the IL-6-targeting approach is of value as a promising strategy for desensitization and prevention of immune-suppressive effects, and should be an effective treatment when combined with current immunotherapies. The aim of the present review is to discuss the immune-suppressive aspects of IL-6, notably with modification of T-cell functions in cancer patients, and their relationship to anti-tumor immune responses and cancer immunotherapy.
随着免疫疗法在癌症患者治疗中的临床应用不断增加，人们迫切期待开发新的治疗方法来逆转癌症患者的免疫抑制环境，因为目前癌症免疫疗法的成功受到荷瘤宿主免疫抑制作用的限制。白细胞介素（IL）-6是一种多效性促炎细胞因子，参与肿瘤细胞自主生存和生长所需的过程，因此被认为是癌症患者预后不良的因素。此外，IL-6在调节包括T细胞、树突状细胞和巨噬细胞在内的多种免疫细胞功能方面的新作用导致了针对肿瘤的先天性和适应性免疫功能障碍。因此，靶向IL-6的方法作为一种有前景的脱敏和预防免疫抑制作用的策略具有价值，并且与当前的免疫疗法联合应用时应是一种有效的治疗方法。本综述的目的是讨论IL-6的免疫抑制方面，特别是其对癌症患者T细胞功能的影响，以及它们与抗肿瘤免疫反应和癌症免疫疗法的关系。
