title: Interleukin-12: potential role in cancer therapy.
abstract: IL-12 is a heterodimeric cytokine that promotes cell-mediated immunity through its regulatory effects on T and NK cells. IL-12 produced endogenously in response to various microbial agents likely plays a role in the host response to infection by intracellular pathogens, and administration of rIL-12 to mice has bee shown to have dramatic therapeutic effects in a number of tumor models and models of infectious diseases. The relatively long serum half-life of IL-12 compared to other lower molecular weight cytokines such as IL-2 should permit more flexibility in dose scheduling. At doses which are efficacious in murine tumor models, IL-12 has been well tolerated. Phase I clinical trials with IL-12 in the treatment of human malignancies have recently been initiated. The results of such studies are required to determine whether the therapeutic potential IL-12 has displayed in murine disease models can be translated into clinical utility in man.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc. Nutley, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Brunda
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Gately
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007239:Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000737:chemistry; D053707:Receptors, Interleukin-12; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D053707:Receptors, Interleukin-12; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007073:Immunoglobulin E