A multi-functional role of interferon regulatory factor-8 in solid tumor and myeloid cell biology.

Understanding mechanisms of tumor escape are critically important not only to improving our knowledge of cancer biology, but also for the overall development of more effective anti-neoplastic therapies. Our laboratory focuses on mechanisms of apoptotic resistance, with emphasis on Fas loss of function as an important determinant of tumor progression. Our work in solid tumor systems has led to the identification of interferon regulatory factor-8 (IRF-8) as a differentially expressed gene important for tumor cell response to cytotoxicity, including Fas-mediated apoptosis and host-anti-tumor immunosurveillance mechanisms. Although IRF-8 was originally identified in the regulation of normal and neoplastic myeloid cell development, these findings revealed a new functional role for IRF-8 in non-hematopoietic malignancies and establish a molecular basis for its potential manipulation during cancer therapy.