Significant advancements in the field of
cancer immunotherapy have been made in the past decade, particularly with the introduction of immune checkpoint blockades. The role of immune-related environment modulation in enhancing cancer treatment effectiveness has been recognized.
Interleukin-7 (IL-7), a cytokine crucial for lymphocyte development and maintenance, has shown potential as an immunotherapeutic agent. However, its short half-life has been a challenge.
Our study explored the impact of a modified version of human IL-7, fused with hybrid Fc (
IL-7-hyFc), on tumor growth in mice. We found that a single injection of IL-7-hyFc significantly reduced tumor growth and increased the expression of CXCR3 on T cells, as well as the presence of
CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). This treatment also reduced the proportion of
PD-1+CD8+ TILs and lowered PD-1 expression levels, promoting the expansion and functionality of tumor antigen-specific CD8+ effector T cells.
However, the inhibitory effect on tumor growth was not observed in mice with extensive tumor burdens. To address this, we combined IL-7-hyFc with
cyclophosphamide (
CTX), a chemotherapy drug, to induce immunogenic cell death without severely affecting the immune system. This combination therapy led to increased CD8+ TIL infiltration and improved survival rates in mice with large tumors.
In conclusion, IL-7-hyFc can effectively combat tumors by revitalizing CD8+ T lymphocytes. While its efficacy is limited in cases of high tumor burden, it can be enhanced when combined with chemotherapy. These findings suggest that IL-7-hyFc could be a valuable addition to various cancer immunotherapy strategies, either as a standalone treatment or in combination with conventional chemotherapy and immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint blockades.
Reference: Kim J-H, Choi D, Ji M K, et al. Preclinical evaluation of the anti-tumor activity of Fc-fused interleukin-7 in both monotherapy and combination therapy [abstract]. Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1731.
How to Use Synapse Database to Search and Analyze Translational Medicine Data?
The transational medicine section of the Synapse database supports searches based on fields such as drug, target, and indication, covering the T0-T3 stages of translation. Additionally, it offers a historical conference search function as well as filtering options, view modes, translation services, and highlights summaries, providing you with a unique search experience.

Taking obesity as an example, select "obesity" under the indication category and click search to enter the Translational Medicine results list page. By clicking on the title, you can directly navigate to the original page.

By clicking the analysis button, you can observe that GLP-1R treatment for obesity has gained significant attention over the past three years, with preclinical research still ongoing in 2023. Additionally, there are emerging potential targets, such as GDF15, among others.

Click on the image below to go directly to the Translational Medicine search interface.
