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Gu M, Jin Y, Gao X, Xia W, Xu T, Pan S. Novel insights into IL-37: an anti-inflammatory cytokine with emerging roles in anti-cancer process. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1278521. [PMID: 37928545 PMCID: PMC10623001 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1278521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a newly discovered member of IL-1 family. The cytokine was proved to have extensive protective effects in infectious diseases, allergic diseases, metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases and tumors since its discovery. IL-37 was mainly produced by immune and some non-immune cells in response to inflammatory stimulus. The IL-37 precursors can convert into the mature forms after caspase-1 cleavage and activation intracellularly, and then bind to Smad-3 and transfer to the nucleus to inhibit the production and functions of proinflammatory cytokines; extracellularly, IL-37 binds to cell surface receptors to form IL-37/IL-18Rα/IL-1R8 complex to exert immunosuppressive function via inhibiting/activating multiple signal pathways. In addition, IL-37 can attenuate the pro-inflammatory effect of IL-18 through directly or forming an IL-37/IL-18BP/IL-18Rβ complex. Therefore, IL-37 has the ability to suppress innate and acquired immunity of the host, and effectively control inflammatory stimulation, which was considered as a new hallmark of cancer. Specifically, it is concluded that IL-37 can inhibit the growth and migration of tumor cells, prohibit angiogenesis and mediate the immunoregulation in tumor microenvironment, so as to exert effective anti-tumor effects. Importantly, latest studies also showed that IL-37 may be a novel therapeutic target for cancer monitoring. In this review, we summarize the immunoregulation roles and mechanisms of IL-37 in anti-tumor process, and discuss its progress so far and potential as tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Gu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuexinzi Jin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Xun Gao
- Center of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenying Xia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ting Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Shiyang Pan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing, China
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2
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Zhu Y, Qin H, Ye K, Sun C, Qin Y, Li G, Wang H, Wang H. Dual role of IL-37 in the progression of tumors. Cytokine 2021; 150:155760. [PMID: 34800851 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2021.155760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Interleukin (IL)-37 is a novel defined cytokine that belongs to IL-1 family, which possesses potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. The IL-37 protein mainly exists in the cytoplasm of monocytes and is also expressed in epithelial cells and T cells. IL-37 is produced as a precursor which works in mature or immature isoforms without a classic signal peptide, and negatively regulates TLR agonist- mediated signaling pathway, proinflammatory cytokines, and IL-1R ligands. IL-37 has been found to be elevated and plays an anti-tumor role in various types of tumors, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and cervical cancer. The tumor microenvironment (TME) refers to the cellular environment where the tumor or cancer stem cells exist. At present, growing evidence shows that changes in TME can regulate metabolism, immunity, secretion, and function, so as to inhibit or promote the progression of the tumor. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the TME is essential for the occurrence and development of tumors. In this review, we will summarize the role of IL-37 in the microenvironment of different tumors, hoping to provide novel perspectives towards the mechanism, prevention, and treatment of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanglin Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China; Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Hong Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China; Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Kui Ye
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital, Tianjin 300140, China
| | - Chenglu Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China; Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Yafei Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China; Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Guangming Li
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China; Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Hongda Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China; Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China; Tianjin General Surgery Institute, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China.
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3
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Wang X, Wei Z, Tang Z, Xue C, Yu H, Zhang D, Li Y, Liu X, Shi Y, Zhang L, Chen G, Zhou H, Wang J, Wang X. IL-37bΔ1-45 suppresses the migration and invasion of endometrial cancer cells by targeting the Rac1/NF-κB/MMP2 signal pathway. J Transl Med 2021; 101:760-774. [PMID: 33753880 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-021-00544-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometrial carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies in the female reproductive system. Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a newly discovered anti-inflammatory factor belonging to the IL-1 family. IL-37 has five different isoforms, and IL-37b is the most biologically functional subtype. In recent years, the protective roles of IL-37 in different cancers, including lung and liver cancers, have been successively reported. IL-37 also plays an important role in some gynecological diseases such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, and cervical cancer. However, the role and mechanism of IL-37b, especially the mature form of IL-37b, in endometrial carcinoma have not been elucidated. The present study demonstrated that IL-37 protein was downregulated in endometrial carcinoma cells compared with the control endometrium. IL-37b did not affect the proliferation and colony-forming ability of endometrial cancer cells. A mature form of IL-37b (IL-37bΔ1-45) effectively suppressed the migration and invasion of endometrial cancer cells by decreasing the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) via Rac1/NF-κB signal pathway. However, it did not affect epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) or filamentous actin (F-actin) depolymerization of endometrial cancer cells. IL-37bΔ1-45 attenuated tumor metastasis in a peritoneal metastatic xenograft model of endometrial cancer. To sum up, these results suggested IL-37b could be involved in the pathogenesis of endometrial carcinoma and provide a novel target for the diagnosis and treatment of endometrial carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xishuang Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Zengtao Wei
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Medical School, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Zhongyun Tang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jinan Central Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Chenyue Xue
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jinan Central Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Huayun Yu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jinan Central Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Derui Zhang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jinan Central Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Yulan Li
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Xihong Liu
- Department of Pathology, The Fourth People's Hospital of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Yongyu Shi
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Lining Zhang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Guoling Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Huaiyu Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Jianing Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, PR China.
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4
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Wang L, Liu Z, Huang D, Ran Y, Zhang H, He J, Yin N, Qi H. IL-37 Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Fetal Membranes of Spontaneous Preterm Birth via the NF- κB and IL-6/STAT3 Signaling Pathway. Mediators Inflamm 2020; 2020:1069563. [PMID: 32733162 PMCID: PMC7369678 DOI: 10.1155/2020/1069563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB), defined as delivery before 37 weeks of gestation, is thought to be a multifactorial syndrome. However, the inflammatory imbalance at the maternal-fetal interface promotes excessive secretion of inflammatory factors and induces apoptosis and degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which can subsequently lead to preterm birth. As an anti-inflammatory molecule in the IL-1 family, interleukin-37 (IL-37) mainly plays an inhibiting role in a variety of inflammatory diseases. However, as a typical inflammatory disease, no previous studies have been carried out to explore the role of IL-37 in sPTB. In this study, a series of molecular biological experiments were performed in clinical samples and human amniotic epithelial cell line (Wistar Institute Susan Hayflick (WISH)) to investigate the deficiency role of IL-37 and the potential mechanism. Firstly, the results indicated that the expression of IL-37 in human peripheral plasma and fetal membranes was significantly decreased in the sPTB group. Afterward, it is proved that IL-37 could significantly suppress the production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in WISH cells. Simultaneously, once silence IL-37, LPS-induced apoptosis and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9 were significantly increased. In addition, the western blot data showed that IL-37 performed its biological effects by inhibiting the NF-κB and IL-6/STAT3 pathway. In conclusion, our results suggest that IL-37 limits excessive inflammation and subsequently inhibits ECM remodeling and apoptosis through the NF-κB and IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway in the fetal membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Wang
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Dongni Huang
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Yuxin Ran
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Hanwen Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Jie He
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Nanlin Yin
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Hongbo Qi
- Department of Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
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Quintero-Fabián S, Arreola R, Becerril-Villanueva E, Torres-Romero JC, Arana-Argáez V, Lara-Riegos J, Ramírez-Camacho MA, Alvarez-Sánchez ME. Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Angiogenesis and Cancer. Front Oncol 2019; 9:1370. [PMID: 31921634 PMCID: PMC6915110 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 513] [Impact Index Per Article: 102.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
During angiogenesis, new vessels emerge from existing endothelial lined vessels to promote the degradation of the vascular basement membrane and remodel the extracellular matrix (ECM), followed by endothelial cell migration, and proliferation and the new generation of matrix components. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) participate in the disruption, tumor neovascularization, and subsequent metastasis while tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) downregulate the activity of these MMPs. Then, the angiogenic response can be directly or indirectly mediated by MMPs through the modulation of the balance between pro- and anti-angiogenic factors. This review analyzes recent knowledge on MMPs and their participation in angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saray Quintero-Fabián
- Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, Military School of Graduate of Health, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rodrigo Arreola
- Psychiatric Genetics Department, National Institute of Psychiatry "Ramón de la Fuente", Clinical Research Branch, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Julio César Torres-Romero
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Facultad de Química de la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Mexico
| | - Victor Arana-Argáez
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Facultad de Química de la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Mexico
| | - Julio Lara-Riegos
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Facultad de Química de la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Merida, Mexico
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6
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Ouyang P, Wu K, Su L, An W, Bie Y, Zhang H, Kang H, Jiang E, Zhu W, Yao Y, Hu X, Chen Z, Wang S. Inhibition of human cervical cancer cell invasion by IL-37 involving runt related transcription factor 2 suppression. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2019; 7:568. [PMID: 31807549 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2019.09.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background IL-37 is a newly anti-inflammatory cytokine whose function is largely unknown in cancer. Our preliminary experiment found IL-37 could inhibit the invasion of human cervical cancer (CC) cells and influence the expression of RUNX family whose function was also unclear in CC. The present study aims to further investigate the effects of IL-37 on cell invasion and runt related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) expression in CC cell lines. Methods Firstly, plasmid overexpressing IL-37 or RUNX2 was transfected into Siha and C33A cells by Hilymax. Then, the effects of IL-37 on the mRNA expression of RUNX1, RUNX2 and RUNX3 gene were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Protein expression was measured by Western blot and the grayscale scanning analysis. Finally, the effects of IL-37 or RUNX2 on cell invasion were tested by transwell assay. Results IL-37 inhibited the mRNA expression of RUNX1 and RUNX2, and increased that of RUNX3 in CC cells. Among the three RUNX genes, RUNX2 showed the most significant change in mRNA expression (decreased by78.5% in Siha cells and by 61.5% in C33A cells) and thus was chosen for the following study. Overexpressed IL-37 inhibited cell invasion by 36.23% in Siha cells (P<0.05) and 26.21% in C33A cells (P<0.01). Overexpression of RUNX2 promoted cell invasion. Up-regulation of IL-37 suppressed markedly the mRNA and protein expression of RUNX2. Furthermore, overexpressed RUNX2 partially restored the inhibited cell invasion by IL-37 to 86.62% in Siha cells (P<0.01) and 87.08% in C33A cells (P<0.01). Conclusions IL-37 can significantly inhibit the cell invasion of Siha and C33A cells, which involves the suppression of RUNX2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Ouyang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Kun Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China.,Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical College, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Liudan Su
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China.,Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical College, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Weifang An
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical College, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Yanhong Bie
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical College, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - He Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Haixian Kang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical College, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Enping Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Yunhong Yao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Xinrong Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Zhangquan Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Sen Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China.,Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical College, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
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7
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Ouyang P, An W, Chen R, Zhang H, Chen D, Jiang E, Zhu W, Li P, Guo H, Chen Z, Wang S. IL-37 promotes cell apoptosis in cervical cancer involving Bim upregulation. Onco Targets Ther 2019; 12:2703-2712. [PMID: 31114224 PMCID: PMC6497894 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s201664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Growing evidence has indicated that interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a potential anticancer molecule that mainly plays an inhibiting role in different kinds of cancers, but data for the role of IL-37 on cell apoptosis in cancers remains rare. The present study aimed to explore the role of IL-37 in cell apoptosis in cervical cancer, and the involved apoptosis-related molecules. Methods: IL-37 was overexpressed by transfecting the pIRES2-EGFP-IL-37 plasmid in HeLa and C33A cells. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to detect the mRNA expression of IL-37, Bcl-2, Bax and Bim. Western blotting was performed to detect the protein expression of IL-37 and Bim. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Results: IL-37 upregulated the mRNA expression levels of Bim by 138.40% for HeLa (P<0.05) and 58.95% for C33A (P<0.05), and increased the protein expression levels of BimL by 69.10% (P<0.05) and 56.66% (P<0.05) in HeLa and C33A, respectively. Overexpression of IL-37 increased the apoptosis rates by 152.86% for HeLa (P<0.01) and 25.4% for C33A (P<0.05). Knockdown of Bim by specific siRNA interference fragments (SiBim) reduced the apoptosis rates by 36.00% for HeLa (P<0.05) and 14.66% for C33A (P<0.05). Compared with the IL-37 overexpression group, the apoptosis rate in cotransfecting the IL-37 overexpression plasmid and SiBim group decreased by approximately 31% (P<0.05) and 24.35% (P<0.05) in HeLa and C33A, respectively. Conclusion: IL-37 upregulated Bim in cervical cancer cells. Furthermore, IL-37 can promote cervical cancer cell apoptosis, but Bim knockdown decreased this promotion through IL-37. Thus, IL-37 can promote cervical cancer cell apoptosis, which involve the upregulation of Bim.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Ouyang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China
| | - Weifang An
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China.,Pathology Department , Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, 518110, People's Republic of China
| | - Renhuai Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China.,Pathology Department, Dongguan Tungwah Hospital, Dongguan, Guangdong Province, 523110, People's Republic of China
| | - He Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China
| | - Danrui Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China
| | - Enping Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China.,Basic Medicine Department, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China.,Basic Medicine Department, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Li
- Basic Medicine Department, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongsheng Guo
- Basic Medicine Department, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhangquan Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China
| | - Sen Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China.,Basic Medicine Department, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong Province 523808, People's Republic of China
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8
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Mei Y, Liu H. IL-37: An anti-inflammatory cytokine with antitumor functions. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2018; 2:e1151. [PMID: 32935478 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND IL-37 is a newly identified IL-1 family cytokine. Unlike other members in IL-1 family, IL-37 has been demonstrated to be an anti-inflammatory cytokine in many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. IL-37 is regarded as a dual-function cytokine as both the extracellular and intracellular IL-37 are biologically functional. Extracellular IL-37 can bind to IL-18Rα and IL-1R8 to form a triple complex, regulating the downstream STAT3 and PTEN signaling. Intracellular IL-37 can interact with Smad3, translocate into nucleus, and regulate downstream target gene expressions. Recently, the role of IL-37 in tumor development has been extensively studied. RECENT FINDINGS IL-37 has been found to play an antitumor role in various types of tumors, such as non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and renal cell carcinoma. Many mechanism studies have been carried out to elaborate the possible effects of IL-37 on tumor growth, immune responses, and tumor angiogenesis. More importantly, the function of IL-37 may be dependent on its concentration and receptor expression. It can form dimers at high concentrations to be inactivated, thus inhibiting its anti-inflammatory function. We focused on the role of IL-37 in various tumor types and provided the hypothesis regarding the underlying mechanisms. CONCLUSION IL-37 may affect tumor development through multiple mechanisms: (1) IL-37 directly influences tumor cell viability; (2) IL-37 regulates the immune response to promote the antitumor immunity; and (3) IL-37 suppresses tumor angiogenesis in the tumor microenvironment. Future studies are warranted to further investigate the mechanisms of these multifaceted functions of IL-37 in animal models and cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Mei
- Immunology Programme, Life Sciences Institute and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Haiyan Liu
- Immunology Programme, Life Sciences Institute and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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