Cellular communication mediated by
cytokines is an important mechanism dictating immune responses, their cross talk and final immune output.
Cytokines play a major role in dictating the immune outcome to
cancer by regulating the events of development, differentiation and activation of innate immune cells.
Cytokines are pleiotropic in nature, hence understanding their role individually or as member of network
cytokines is critical to delineate their role in tumour immunity. Tumour systemically manipulates the immune system to evade and escape immune recognition for their uncontrollable growth and
metastasis. The developing tumour comprise a large and diverse set of myeloid cells which are vulnerable to manipulation by the tumour-microenvironment. The innate immune cells of the monocytic lineage skew the fate of the adaptive immune cells and thus dictating
cancer elimination or progression. Targeting cells at tumour cite is preposterous owing to their tight network, poor reach and abundance of immunosuppressive mechanisms. Monocytic lineage-derived
cytokines (
monokines) play crucial role in tumour regression or progression by either directly killing the tumour cells with TNFα or promoting its growth by TGFβ. In addition, the
monokines like
IL-12, IL-1β,
IL-6,
IL-10 and TGFβ direct the adaptive immune cells to secrete anti-tumour
cytokines, TNFα, IFNγ,
perforin and
granzyme or pro-tumour
cytokines,
IL-10 and TGFβ. In this review, we elucidate the roles of
monokines in dictating the fate of tumour by regulating responses at various stages of generation, differentiation and activation of immune cells along with the extensive cross talk. We have attempted to delineate the synergy and antagonism of major
monokines among themselves or with tumour-derived or adaptive immune
cytokines. The review provides an update on the possibilities of placing
monokines to potential practical use as
cytokine therapy against
cancer.