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20/01/2021 - General information

The role of interferons in tumour cell resistance to immunotherapy

Dr. Toni Celià-Terrassa has headed up a review on this subject published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation

Dr. Toni Celià-Terrassa has headed up a review on this subject published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The text analyses the available information on the relationship between interferons and immunotherapy.

The Journal of Clinical Investigation has published a review authored by Michelle von Locquenghien, Catalina Rozalén, and Toni Celià-Terrassa, all members of the Cancer Stem Cells & Metastasis Dynamics Lab at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM). In the article, they analyse current knowledge on the role of interferons -cytokines (proteins) involved in regulating the function of immune system cells- in the mechanisms that allow tumour cells to develop treatment resistance.

The authors explain how the relationship between tumour cells and the immune system evolves as the cancer progresses, causing these cells to acquire systems that enable them to resist attack. They point out that the principal mechanisms used to achieve this are related to interferon signalling. In this respect, they highlight new evidence supporting immunotherapy-mediated immunoediting and show how interferons can impact either treatment response or resistance. All these factors lead the authors to support its potential as a therapeutic strategy in cancer.

Image: Fom left to right Catalina Rozalén, Michelle von Locquenghien i Toni Celià-Terrassa.

Reference article
Interferons in cancer immunoediting: sculpting metastasis and immunotherapy response. Michelle von Locquenghien, Catalina Rozalén, Toni Celià-Terrassa. J Clin Invest.2021;131(1):e143296. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI143296.

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