Chemokines and anti-cancer immunotherapy: anti-tumor effect of EBI1-ligand chemokine (ELC) and secondary lymphoid tissue chemokine (SLC).

Various attempts at anti-cancer immunotherapy have used immunostimulatory cytokines, accessory molecules or tumor antigen-loaded dendritic cells. However, all these trials have exhibited only a limited anti-tumor response. A specific anti-tumor response should be enhanced by attracting to the site of antigen presentation large numbers of cells capable of eliciting an effector function on presentation and activation by tumor antigen. Chemokines play an important role in specific immune response. In this article, we have reviewed the anti-tumor effects of chemokines, such as inhibition of angiogenesis and attraction of immune effector cells to the tumor site. Although chemokines acting alone seem to have limited anti-tumor activity, chemokines produce more potent anti-tumor activity when used as adjuvants. The systemic anti-tumor immunity evoked by the chemokines, EBI1-ligand chemokine and secondary lymphoid tissue chemokine, is significantly potentiated when they are used in combination with interleukin-2 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.