Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are expressed and play multiple functional roles in a variety of immune cell types involved in tumor immunity. There are plenty of data on the pharmacological targeting of TLR signaling using agonist molecules that boost the antitumor immune response. A recent body of research has also demonstrated promising strategies for improving the cell-based immunotherapy methods by inducing TLR signaling. These strategies include systemic administration of TLR antagonist along with immune cell transfer and also genetic engineering of the immune cells using TLR signaling components to improve the function of genetically engineered immune cells such as chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells. Here, we explore the current status of the cancer immunotherapy approaches based on manipulation of TLR signaling to provide a perspective of the underlying rationales and potential clinical applications. Altogether, reviewed publications suggest that TLRs make a potential target for the immunotherapy of cancer.
Aim
Impaired regulation of immune tolerance results in autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Survivin is an anti‐apoptotic protein and can induce cellular mitosis. In the current study, we assessed the transcript level of total survivin (survivin‐TS) and its three major variants and evaluated the expression level of important micro RNAs (miRNAs) involved in survivin expression regulation in RA patients.
Method
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from 50 healthy controls and 50 RA‐active patients. RNA extraction was performed and then single‐strand complementary DNA was synthesized. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction was used to assess the expression level of survivin‐TS and its variants with effective miRNAs in PBMCs.
Results
Overexpression of survivin‐2B (fold change = 1.57, P = 0.005), survivn‐ΔEx3 (fold change = 1.93, P = 0.009) and downregulation of survivin‐WT (fold change = 0.64, P = 0.0002) were found in PBMCs of patients, while messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of survivin‐TS had no significant difference between RA patients and controls. Expression levels of miR‐335‐5p, miR‐485‐5p, miR‐16‐5p, miR‐150‐5p, miR‐34a‐5p, and miR‐203a‐3p were significantly increased in PBMCs from patients compared with healthy controls. In a correlation study, dysregulation of these miRNAs were not correlated with mRNA expression level of survivin.
Conclusion
While survivin‐TS was not differently expressed in RA patients, its variants had altered expression. Although miRNAs were aberrantly expressed in PBMCs from RA subjects, they did not regulate survivin‐TS. miRNAs might be involved in RA pathogenesis, but not through controlling survivin.
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