Ifeanyi Obeagu Emmanuel
Department of Biomedical and Laboratory Science, Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe.
Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2025 May 21;87(6):3551-3555. doi: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000003295. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Cytokines play a pivotal role in the progression and pathogenesis of pediatric hematologic malignancies, such as leukemia and lymphoma, by orchestrating the tumor microenvironment (TME). These soluble signaling molecules regulate key processes, including immune modulation, tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and resistance to therapy. Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) promote survival pathways, chemoresistance, and immune evasion, while anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-10 further suppress effective anti-tumor immunity. Targeting cytokine signaling pathways has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. Advances in monoclonal antibody therapies, signal transduction inhibitors, and cytokine-neutralizing agents aim to disrupt the pro-tumorigenic effects of cytokines within the TME. Additionally, integrating cytokine modulation with immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapy enhances anti-tumor immune responses. These approaches are complemented by novel therapeutics designed to mitigate resistance to conventional treatments, such as chemotherapies, which are often driven by persistent cytokine-mediated signaling.
细胞因子通过协调肿瘤微环境（TME），在小儿血液系统恶性肿瘤（如白血病和淋巴瘤）的进展和发病机制中发挥关键作用。这些可溶性信号分子调节关键过程，包括免疫调节、肿瘤细胞增殖、血管生成和对治疗的抗性。促炎细胞因子如白细胞介素-6（IL-6）和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）水平升高会促进生存途径、化疗耐药性和免疫逃逸，而抗炎细胞因子如IL-10则进一步抑制有效的抗肿瘤免疫。靶向细胞因子信号通路已成为一种有前景的治疗策略。单克隆抗体疗法、信号转导抑制剂和细胞因子中和剂的进展旨在破坏TME内细胞因子的促肿瘤作用。此外，将细胞因子调节与免疫检查点抑制剂和过继性细胞疗法相结合可增强抗肿瘤免疫反应。这些方法得到了旨在减轻对传统治疗（如化疗）抗性的新型疗法的补充，传统治疗的抗性通常由持续的细胞因子介导信号驱动。
