Toll-Like Receptor Ligands as Cancer Immunotherapeutics

Shee Eun Lee; Joon Haeng Rhee

doi:10.4167/jbv.2012.42.3.255

Journal List > J Bacteriol Virol > v.42(3) > 1034048

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Lee and Rhee: Toll-Like Receptor Ligands as Cancer Immunotherapeutics

Letter to the Editor

Journal of Bacteriology and Virology

Journal of Bacteriology and Virology 2012; 42(3): 255-262.

Published online: 24 September 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4167/jbv.2012.42.3.255

Toll-Like Receptor Ligands as Cancer Immunotherapeutics

Shee Eun Lee^1,², Joon Haeng Rhee^1,³

¹Clinical Vaccine R&D Center, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, 160 Ilsimri, Hwasun-gun, Jeonnam, Korea.

²Department of Pharmacology and Dental Therapeutics, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.

³Department of Microbiology and Research Institute of Vibrio Infections, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.

Corresponding author: Joon Haeng Rhee, M.D., Ph.D. Clinical Vaccine R&D Center, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, 322 Seoyang-ro, Hwasun 519-763, Korea. Phone: +82-61-379-8479, Fax: +82-61-379-8455, jhrhee@chonnam.ac.kr

Received 31 July 2012 Revised 6 August 2012 Accepted 9 August 2012

Abstract

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) expressed in a wide spectrum of cell types that recognize distinctive ligands and subsequently activate adaptive immune responses. TLR ligands are considered a promising target for development of immunomodulatory agents. Extensive clinical investigations are currently underway to develop TLR ligands-based non-specific immunostimulants and vaccine adjuvants. It has been well accepted that cancer cells develop a strategy to avoid host immune responses by producing inhibitory molecules. In addition, tumor-associated antigens are often not strong enough to induce effective anti-cancer immune responses. In this context, immunostimulants or adjuvants are critically required for more effective cancer immunotherapies. Here, we discuss recent progresses in the field of cancer immunotherapy under special emphasis on the TLR ligands as a component of immunostimulatory agents.

Keywords: Cancer immunotherapy, Toll-like receptor, Adjuvant

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Human Toll-like receptors and their ligands

Modified from the reference (2, 6)

Table 2

Selected implications of Toll-like receptor ligands in cancer immunotherapy and cancer vaccine adjuvant

Modified from the reference (2, 6)

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