近日,，美國研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)一種蛋白質(zhì)具有治療黑色素瘤這種皮膚癌的功效,，這種蛋白質(zhì)可被人體合成,，因此有望在此基礎(chǔ)上開發(fā)出促進(jìn)人體自身對(duì)抗黑色素瘤的新療法,。相關(guān)論文發(fā)表在Nature Medicine雜志上,。
黑色素瘤是一種惡性皮膚癌,，患者的死亡率較高,。美國哈佛大學(xué)醫(yī)學(xué)院等機(jī)構(gòu)的研究人員對(duì)一些黑色素瘤患者的組織樣本進(jìn)行檢驗(yàn)時(shí)發(fā)現(xiàn)，與正常水平相比,，患者體內(nèi)代號(hào)為白細(xì)胞介素－9的蛋白質(zhì)含量要低很多,，甚至缺失。
研究人員又通過動(dòng)物實(shí)驗(yàn)探索了這種蛋白質(zhì)對(duì)黑色素瘤的效果,，結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn),，如果給實(shí)驗(yàn)鼠注射對(duì)白細(xì)胞介素－9有抑制作用的物質(zhì)，它們所患的黑色素瘤就會(huì)迅速生長,，與體內(nèi)含這種蛋白質(zhì)較少的人類患者的情況類似,。
但是如果給實(shí)驗(yàn)鼠注射一些能促進(jìn)它們體內(nèi)白細(xì)胞介素－9含量上升的物質(zhì)，則它們所患黑色素瘤的生長速度會(huì)下降,。這表明,，白細(xì)胞介素－9這種蛋白質(zhì)具有抑制黑色素瘤的功效。
白細(xì)胞介素－9在人和實(shí)驗(yàn)鼠的體內(nèi)都可以自我合成,，過去知道它是一種可以調(diào)動(dòng)免疫系統(tǒng)的信號(hào)分子,。研究人員建議今后在對(duì)黑色素瘤患者治療時(shí)，可以想辦法促進(jìn)人體合成更多的白細(xì)胞介素－9,，調(diào)動(dòng)患者免疫系統(tǒng)自身的力量來抑制腫瘤的生長,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1038/nm.2856
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Robust tumor immunity to melanoma mediated by interleukin-9–producing T cells
hul Purwar,1 Christoph Schlapbach,1 Sheng Xiao,2 Hong Soon Kang,3 Wassim Elyaman,2 Xiaodong Jiang,1 Anton M Jetten,3 Samia J Khoury,2 Robert C Fuhlbrigge,1 Vijay K Kuchroo,2 Rachael A Clark1 & Thomas S Kupper1
Interleukin-9 (IL-9) is a T cell cytokine that acts through a γC-family receptor on target cells and is associated with inflammation and allergy. We determined that T cells from mice deficient in the T helper type 17 (TH17) pathway genes encoding retinoid-related orphan receptor γ (ROR-γ) and IL-23 receptor (IL-23R) produced abundant IL-9, and we found substantial growth inhibition of B16F10 melanoma in these mice. IL-9–blocking antibodies reversed this tumor growth inhibition and enhanced tumor growth in wild-type (WT) mice. Il9r?/? mice showed accelerated tumor growth, and administration of recombinant IL-9 (rIL-9) to tumor-bearing WT and Rag1?/? mice inhibited melanoma as well as lung carcinoma growth. Adoptive transfer of tumor-antigen–specific TH9 cells into both WT and Rag1?/? mice suppressed melanoma growth; this effect was abrogated by treatment with neutralizing antibodies to IL-9. Exogenous rIL-9 inhibited tumor growth in Rag1?/? mice but not in mast-cell–deficient mice, suggesting that the targets of IL-9 in this setting include mast cells but not T or B cells. In addition, we found higher numbers of TH9 cells in normal human skin and blood compared to metastatic lesions of subjects with progressive stage IV melanoma. These results suggest a role for IL-9 in tumor immunity and offer insight into potential therapeutic strategies.
