Investigations of Interferon-Lambda for the Treatment of Cancer

Interferon-lambda (IFN-lambda), a recently discovered cytokine, overlaps broadly with type I IFN signaling, producing antiviral, antiproliferative, and proapoptotic responses. In comparison to type I IFNs, IFN-lambda has a limited spectrum of responsive tissues due to variation in expression of the IFN-lambda receptor IFNLR1. Type I IFNs have been investigated for their antitumor effects and used in the clinical setting for a number of different cancers. Given the overlap in signaling and function between IFN-lambda and type I IFNs, IFN-lambda has also drawn interest for the treatment of cancer. To date, a number of studies using both murine and human models of cancer have investigated the antitumor effects of IFN-lambda. These studies have found that IFN-lambda is capable of directly targeting cancer cells to reduce their tumorigenicity, induce cell cycle arrest, and cause apoptosis. In addition, IFN-lambda has been shown to have indirect effects against cancer cells through immune system responses and immune modulatory effects. This review aims to detail the findings of studies investigating IFN-lambda for the treatment of cancer as well as suggest areas of potential interest for future studies. (C) 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel