Interferon gamma in cancer immunotherapy

• Published in: Cancer medicine (Malden, MA) Vol. 7; no. 9; pp. 4509 - 4516
• Main Authors: Ni, Ling, Lu, Jian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-09-2018; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Animals; Biomarkers; Cancer Biology; Cancer immunotherapy; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; IFNγ signaling; Immune checkpoint; immune evasion; immune surveillance; Immunologic Factors - genetics; Immunologic Factors - pharmacology; Immunologic Factors - therapeutic use; Immunomodulation - drug effects; Immunotherapy; Interferon-gamma - genetics; Interferon-gamma - pharmacology; Interferon-gamma - therapeutic use; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - genetics; Neoplasms - immunology; Review; Signal Transduction; transformed self; Tumor Escape - genetics; Tumor Escape - immunology; Tumor Microenvironment - genetics; Tumor Microenvironment - immunology; immune evasion; transformed self; immune surveillance; IFNγ signaling; cancer immunotherapy
• ISSN: 2045-7634; 2045-7634
• DOI: 10.1002/cam4.1700

Immune system can recognize self vs transformed self. That is why cancer immunotherapy achieves notable benefits in a wide variety of cancers. Recently, several papers reported that immune checkpoint blockade therapy led to upregulation of IFNγ and in turn clearance of tumor cells. In this review, we conducted an extensive literature search of recent 5‐year studies about the roles of IFNγ signaling in both tumor immune surveillance and immune evasion. In addition to well‐known functions, IFNγ signaling also induces tumor ischemia and homeostasis program, resulting in tumor clearance and tumor escape, respectively. The yin and the yang of IFNγ signaling are summarized. Thus, this review helps us to comprehensively understand the roles of IFNγ in tumor immunity, which contributes to better design and management of clinical immunotherapy approaches.
IFN‐gamma signaling induces tumor ischemia and homeostasis program, resulting in tumor clearance and tumor escape, respectively. The yin and the yang of IFN‐gamma signaling are summarized in this review.