CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11/CXCR3 axis for immune activation - A target for novel cancer therapy

  • Cancer Treat Rev. 2018 Feb:63:40-47. doi: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2017.11.007.
Ryuma Tokunaga  1 ,  Wu Zhang  1 ,  Madiha Naseem  1 ,  Alberto Puccini  1 ,  Martin D Berger  1 ,  Shivani Soni  1 ,  Michelle McSkane  1 ,  Hideo Baba  2 ,  Heinz-Josef Lenz  3
Affiliations
  • 1. Division of Medical Oncology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1441 Eastlake Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033, United States.
  • 2. Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 8608556, Japan.
  • 3. Division of Medical Oncology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1441 Eastlake Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033, United States. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 29207310 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2017.11.007
Abstract

Chemokines are proteins which induce chemotaxis, promote differentiation of immune cells, and cause tissue extravasation. Given these properties, their role in anti-tumor immune response in the Cancer environment is of great interest. Although immunotherapy has shown clinical benefit for some Cancer patients, other patients do not respond. One of the mechanisms of resistance to checkpoint inhibitors may be chemokine signaling. The CXCL9, -10, -11/CXCR3 axis regulates immune cell migration, differentiation, and activation, leading to tumor suppression (paracrine axis). However, there are some reports that show involvements of this axis in tumor growth and metastasis (autocrine axis). Thus, a better understanding of CXCL9, -10, -11/CXCR3 axis is necessary to develop effective Cancer control. In this article, we summarize recent evidence regarding CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11/CXCR3 axis in the immune system and discuss their potential role in Cancer treatment.

Keywords
CXCL10; CXCL11; CXCL9; CXCR3; Cancer; Immunotherapy.