TGF-beta: a master switch in tumor immunity.
The capacity of the immune system to distinguish foreign from self-antigen, and to subsequently eliminate the threat of disease without injuring the host is crucial for survival. It also serves to defend against tumor formation and progression via a process termed cancer immunosurveillance. Innate and adaptive immune cell types and effector molecules collectively function as extrinsic tumorsuppressor mechanisms. However, tumors may escape immunesurveillance through a variety of mechanisms that create a local microenvironment that is unfavorable for effective tumor immunity. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) has pleiotropic effects on the immune system, and is recognized as one of the most potent immunosuppressive agents in facilitating oncogenesis. The TGF-β pathway promotes cancer progression by concomitantly enhancing tumor metastases while inhibiting the protective host immunity. In this review, we discuss mechanisms through which TGF-β interferes with the development of an anti-tumor immunity and potential means through which to circumvent its activity in order to define more effective cancer immunotherapies.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Foggia, Italy.
Margherita
M
Gigante
Loreto
L
Gesualdo
Elena
E
Ranieri
D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D007157:Immunologic Surveillance / Q000276:immunology*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000276:immunology
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta