The Immune Response to Tumors as a Tool toward Immunotherapy

Abstract

Until recently cancer medical therapy was limited to chemotherapy that could not differentiate cancer cells from normal cells. More recently with the remarkable mushroom of immunology, newer tools became available, resulting in the novel possibility to attack cancer with the specificity of the immune system. Herein we will review some of the recent achievement of immunotherapy in such aggressive cancers as melanoma, prostatic cancer, colorectal carcinoma, and hematologic malignancies. Immunotherapy of tumors has developed several techniques: immune cell transfer, vaccines, immunobiological molecules such as monoclonal antibodies that improve the immune responses to tumors. This can be achieved by blocking pathways limiting the immune response, such as CTLA-4 or Tregs. Immunotherapy may also use cytokines especially proinflammatory cytokines to enhance the activity of cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) derived from tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). The role of newly discovered cytokines remains to be investigated. Alternatively, an other mechanism consists in enhancing the expression of TAAs on tumor cells. Finally, monoclonal antibodies may be used to target oncogenes.

Selective Phosphorylation of the Dlg1AB Variant Is Critical for TCR-Induced p38 Activation and Induction of Proinflammatory Cytokines in CD8+ T Cells

“…The spectrum of effector functions developed by T cells during infection is predicted to optimize T cell responsiveness to specific pathogens (3). Indeed, development of polyfunctional CD8 + T cells is correlated with improved clinical outcomes against HIV and tumors, whereas dysregulation of CD8 + T cell function is implicated in persistence of chronic viral infections and autoimmune disorders (45)(46)(47)(48)(49). Therefore, it is essential to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate TCR-dependent signaling in CD8 + T cells, which together dictate the T cell function.…”

Las Dos Caras De La Inmunidad: Respuesta Th

“…En el 2010, la FDA aprobó el uso de inmunoterapia (Sipuleucel-T), que consiste en la administración autologa de células mononucleares incluyendo células presentadoras de antígeno, que han sido activadas ex-vivo para el tratamiento de cáncer de próstata metástasico hormono-refractario. Es así, que se inicia y se viene desarrollando la inmunoterapia, considerando la observación inicial de la inmunovigilancia asociada a la respuesta Th1 [35][36][37] .…”

Melatonin and Immune Function: Clinical Significance

“…Recent development of immunological newer tools has made possible the attack on cancer cells with specifi city of the immune system. Immunotherapy has been done against melanoma, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and hematological malignancies [ 55 ].…”

“…Hence, controlling the expression of CCL-5 will help in increasing CD8+ T cells and for lysis of tumor cells [ 56 ]. As cancer medical therapy is currently based on the use of high doses of cyclophosphamide or anthracyclines which not only kill tumor cells but also inhibit T-cell function or macrophages, the use of immunotherapy for arresting specifi cally the neoplastic growth without affecting normal bone marrow cells, or antigen-presenting cells, has become crucial for effective management and control of cancer [ 55 ].…”