Common Gamma Chain Cytokines in Cancer Immunotherapy

Cytokines-mediated signaling is a primary way of immune system communication.

The common gamma-chain family of cytokines is a set of six cytokines that signal through the common cytokine γ chain receptor (γc/CD132/IL2RG). These cytokines include IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15, and IL-21. Besides the IL-2RG receptor subunit, the γc family cytokine receptors include IL-2RB (CD122), IL-4R (CD124), IL-7R (CD127), IL-9R (CD129), and IL-21R (Fig. 1). These cytokines activate three major signaling pathways (PI3K-Akt, RAS-MAPK, and JAK-STAT), regulating the development, survival, proliferation, differentiation, and function of immune cells, especially, T-lymphocytes. Targeting or using these cytokines as therapeutic agents has shown potential in allergy, immunodeficiency, autoimmunity, and cancer immunotherapy.