The IL6-like Cytokine Family: Role and Biomarker Potential in Breast Cancer

Carlos Martínez-Pérez; Charlene Kay; James Meehan; Mark Gray; J Michael Dixon; Arran K Turnbull

doi:10.3390/jpm11111073

The IL6-like Cytokine Family: Role and Biomarker Potential in Breast Cancer

J Pers Med. 2021 Oct 24;11(11):1073. doi: 10.3390/jpm11111073.

Authors

Carlos Martínez-Pérez^{1

2}, Charlene Kay^{1

2}, James Meehan², Mark Gray², J Michael Dixon¹, Arran K Turnbull^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Breast Cancer Now Edinburgh Research Team, MRC Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Western General Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK.
² Translational Oncology Research Group, MRC Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Western General Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, UK.

Abstract

IL6-like cytokines are a family of regulators with a complex, pleiotropic role in both the healthy organism, where they regulate immunity and homeostasis, and in different diseases, including cancer. Here we summarise how these cytokines exert their effect through the shared signal transducer IL6ST (gp130) and we review the extensive evidence on the role that different members of this family play in breast cancer. Additionally, we discuss how the different cytokines, their related receptors and downstream effectors, as well as specific polymorphisms in these molecules, can serve as predictive or prognostic biomarkers with the potential for clinical application in breast cancer. Lastly, we also discuss how our increasing understanding of this complex signalling axis presents promising opportunities for the development or repurposing of therapeutic strategies against cancer and, specifically, breast neoplasms.

Keywords: IL6ST; biomarkers; breast cancer; cytokine signalling; gp130; translational research.

Publication types

Review