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Interleukin 21

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Cancer Therapeutic Targets

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Abstract

Interleukin-21 is a type I cytokine with actions on both lymphoid and myeloid cells. Soon after its discovery, IL-21 was shown to induce cytotoxic activity in both CD8+ T cells and NK cells, leading to the elucidation of its antitumor activity in animal models. This preclinical work led to the inclusion of IL-21 in human clinical trials in patients with advanced solid tumors, including melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. Encouraging results were seen with the use of IL-21 as a single agent, and it is possible that IL-21 might yield enhanced results as a component of combination therapy or in adoptive immunotherapy approaches for the generation of CD8+ T cells with potent antitumor activity.

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Acknowledgments

R.S. and W.J.L. are supported by the Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and National Institutes of Health.

Conflict of interest statement: R.S. and W.J.L. are inventors on patents and patent applications related to IL-21.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH Bldg. 10, Rm. 7B05, Bethesda, MD, 20892-1674, USA

    Rosanne Spolski & Warren J. Leonard

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  1. Rosanne Spolski
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  2. Warren J. Leonard
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Correspondence to Warren J. Leonard .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Georgetown University Div. Hematology & Oncology, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    John L. Marshall

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Spolski, R., Leonard, W.J. (2016). Interleukin 21. In: Marshall, J. (eds) Cancer Therapeutic Targets. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6613-0_36-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6613-0_36-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6613-0

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