Interferon-alpha in tumor immunity and immunotherapy.
Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) is a pleiotropic cytokine belonging to type I IFN, currently used in cancer patients. Early studies in mouse tumor models have shown the importance of host immune mechanisms in the generation of a long-lasting antitumor response to type I IFN. Recent studies have underscored new immunomodulatory effects of IFN-alpha, including activities on T and dendritic cells, which may explain IFN-induced tumor immunity. Reports on new immune correlates in cancer patients responding to IFN-alpha represent additional evidence on the importance of the interactions of IFN-alpha with the immune system for the generation of durable antitumor response. This knowledge, together with results from studies on genetically modified tumor cells expressing IFN-alpha, suggest novel strategies for using these cytokines in cancer immunotherapy and in particular the use of IFN-alpha as an immune adjuvant for the development of cancer vaccines.
Belardelli
Filippo
F
Laboratory of Virology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. belard@iss.it
Ferrantini
Maria
M
Proietti
Enrico
E
Kirkwood
John M
JM
D000818:Animals; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors
D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D016898:Interferon-alpha