Interleukin-29 (IL-29) is a new member of the recently discovered interferon λ (IFNλ) family. It is produced predominantly by maturing dendritic cells and macrophages. It has been implicated in numerous immunological responses and has shown antiviral activity similar to the Type I interferons, although its target cell population is more limited than the Type I interferons. In recent years, the role of IL-29 in the pathogenesis of various cancers has also been extensively studied. In this review, we will discuss the recent advances of IL-29 in immunological processes and the pathogenesis of various cancer.
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common non-cutaneous cancer in men in the USA. Radiation therapy (RT) is widely considered the standard treatment for PCa. IL-37 is an IL-1 family member, and it has been extensively studied in immunity. However, no studies have been done regarding its potential as a radiosensitizer. This study is designed to investigate the direct effect of IL-37 on growth of DU145 and PC-3, two widely studied PCa cell lines, and to investigate whether IL-37 could be used as a radiosensitizer for PCa. Clonogenic survival and quick cell proliferation assays along with immunohistochemistry, TUNEL staining, and caspace-3 activity assay kits as well as RT-PCR were used in this study. Our results showed that IL-37 has little direct effect on growth of PCa. However, IL-37/RT enhanced RT-induced inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis in both cell lines. We further found that IL-37/RT upregulated the mRNA expression of p27, Fas, and Bax, while downregulating the mRNA expression of cdk2 in DU145 cells. These findings suggest that IL-37 has the potential to be used as a radiosensitizer for PCa and warrants further investigation.
Interleukin 37 (IL-37) is a new member of the IL-1 family which all have a similar β-barrel structure. Since its discovery, IL-37 has been studied extensively in immunological field. It has been established that IL-37 possesses anti-inflammatory characteristics both in innate immune response as well as in acquired immune responses by downregulating pro-inflammatory molecules. This review will discuss the role of IL-37 in immunological processes and neoplastic pathogenesis.
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