title: Interferon lambda: a new sword in cancer immunotherapy.
abstract: The discovery of the interferon-lambda (IFN-λ) family has considerably contributed to our understanding of the role of interferon not only in viral infections but also in cancer. IFN-λ proteins belong to the new type III IFN group. Type III IFN is structurally similar to type II IFN (IFN-γ) but functionally identical to type I IFN (IFN-α/β). However, in contrast to type I or type II IFNs, the response to type III IFN is highly cell-type specific. Only epithelial-like cells and to a lesser extent some immune cells respond to IFN-λ. This particular pattern of response is controlled by the differential expression of the IFN-λ receptor, which, in contrast to IFN-α, should result in limited side effects in patients. Recently, we and other groups have shown in several animal models a potent antitumor role of IFN-λ that will open a new challenging era for the current IFN therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, University Hospital Cancer Center, Newark, NJ 07103, USA. lasfarah@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lasfar
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Abushahba
authors.forename: Murugabaskar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balan
authors.forename: Karine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Cohen-Solal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007372:Interferons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007372:Interferons