IL-22 gets to the stem of colorectal cancer.
Cytokines can provide survival and proliferation signals to cancer cells, thus promoting tumor progression. In this issue of Immunity, Kryczek et al. (2014) reveal that interleukin-22 can also promote "stemness" in human colorectal cancer via transcription factor STAT3-mediated epigenetic regulation of stem cell genes.
Immune Cell Development and Host Defense Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19111-2497, USA.
Ekaterina K
EK
Koltsova
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19111-2497, USA. Electronic address: sergey.grivennikov@fccc.edu.
Sergei I
SI
Grivennikov
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology*; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000276:immunology*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000276:immunology*; D000097043:Interleukin-22
D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; D007378:Interleukins; D008780:Methyltransferases; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D000097043:Interleukin-22; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; C473477:DOT1L protein, human