Targeting immune cells for cancer therapy

Abstract

Recent years have seen a renaissance in the research linking inflammation and cancer with immune cells playing a central role in smouldering inflammation in the tumor microenvironment. Diverse immune cell types infiltrate the tumor microenvironment, and the dynamic tumor-immune cell interplay gives rise to a rich milieu of cytokines and growth factors. Fundamentally, this intricate cross-talk creates the conducive condition for tumor cell proliferation, survival and metastasis. Interestingly, the prominent impact of immune cells is expounded in their contrary pro-tumoral role, as well as their potential anti-cancer cellular weaponry. The latter is known as immunotherapy, a concept born out of evidence that tumors are susceptible to immune defence and that by manipulating the immune system, tumor growth can be successfully restrained. Naturally, a deeper understanding of the multifaceted roles of various immune cell types thus contributes toward developing innovative anti-cancer strategies. Therefore, in this review we first outline the roles played by the major immune cell types, such as macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells, T cells and B cells. We then explain the recently-explored strategies of immunomodulation and discuss some important approaches via an immunology perspective.

Prognostic Immune Cell Profiling of Malignant Pleural Effusion Patients by Computerized Immunohistochemical and Transcriptional Analysis

“…In addition to histopathological parameters, other factors such as peripheral blood immune cell composition also correlated survival of MPE patients (e.g., "N", the serum neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio as part of the LENT scoring system) [2,11]. Furthermore, in the microenvironment of solid tumors, the immune score-which is based on the immune cell type, density, and location of where lymphocytes infiltrate-is a novel prognostic factor [12,13]. Therefore, we hypothesized that immune cells in a liquid tumor microenvironment may also exert prognostic function, in particular due to direct contact unhindered by stromal desmoplastic fibroblasts and collagen fibers, respectively [14].…”

Current perspectives on the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma: challenges and opportunities

“…Get widespread attention. Malignant tumors [8]. HCC is an inflammation-driven disease with potentially chronic liver inflammation and cirrhosis, and a quarter of HCC cases express markers of inflammatory response.…”

Immune Landscape in Burkitt Lymphoma Reveals M2-Macrophage Polarization and Correlation between PD-L1 Expression and Non-Canonical EBV Latency Program

“…Although PD-L1 expression has been largely investigated in B cell lymphomas, its expression in cellular microenviroment and in tumour cells has not been well defined in most studies [1][2][3][4] .…”

“…The TME of B-cell lymphomas mainly contains variable numbers of mesenchymal stem cells, immune cells and soluble factors. The complex interplay between tumour cells and TME regulates tumorigenesis and provides novel targets for immunotherapies 3,4 . In aggressive lymphomas, particularly in BL, due to their high proliferation rate, intensive chemotherapy is required to counteract proliferation and dissemination of neoplastic cells.…”