Type I interferon-mediated tumor immunity and its role in immunotherapy

• Published in: Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS Vol. 79; no. 3; p. 191
• Main Authors: Yu, Renren, Zhu, Bo, Chen, Degao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.03.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Anticancer properties; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts - immunology; Cell Biology; Clinical trials; Combined Modality Therapy; Dendritic Cells - immunology; Endothelial Cells - immunology; Humans; Immune checkpoint; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Immune system; Immunity; Immunoregulation; Immunotherapy; Immunotherapy - methods; Interferon; Interferon Type I - biosynthesis; Interferon Type I - immunology; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Life Sciences; Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating - immunology; Macrophages - immunology; Mice; Models, Immunological; Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells - immunology; neoplasms; Neoplasms - immunology; Neoplasms - therapy; Neutrophils - immunology; Oncolytic Virotherapy; Patients; Review; Signal Transduction - immunology; synergism; Synergistic effect; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology; Toll-Like Receptors - agonists; Tumor microenvironment; Tumor Microenvironment - immunology; Tumors; IFN-α; IFN-β; Tumor immunity; cGAS; Oncolytic virotherapy; STING; Radiation therapy
• ISSN: 1420-682X; 1420-9071; 1420-9071
• DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04219-z

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies have achieved remarkable clinical responses in patients with many different types of cancer; however, most patients who receive ICB monotherapy fail to achieve long-term responses, and some tumors become immunotherapy-resistant and even hyperprogressive. Type I interferons (IFNs) have been demonstrated to inhibit tumor growth directly and indirectly by acting upon tumor and immune cells, respectively. Furthermore, accumulating evidence indicates that endo- and exogenously enhancing type I IFNs have a synergistic effect on anti-tumor immunity. Therefore, clinical trials studying new treatment strategies that combine type I IFN inducers with ICB are currently in progress. Here, we review the cellular sources of type I IFNs and their roles in the immune regulation of the tumor microenvironment. In addition, we highlight immunotherapies based on type I IFNs and combination therapy between type I IFN inducers and ICBs.