Interleukin-28B acts synergistically with cisplatin to suppress the growth of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Interleukin-28B (IL-28B), also referred to as interferon-λ3, belongs to the type III interferon family. Earlier studies showed that IL-28B suppresses proliferation of some tumor cells in vitro. IL-28B gene transfection ex vivo also resulted in growth retardation of tumor cells in mice, through either direct antiproliferative action or induction of antitumor immunity.

Interleukin-27 activates natural killer cells and suppresses NK-resistant head and neck squamous cell carcinoma through inducing antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.

Interleukin (IL)-27 is an IL-12 family cytokine playing a pivotal role in the induction of Th1 immune responses, although its action on natural killer (NK) cells has not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that IL-27 is capable of inducing phosphorylation of signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 and 3, as well as expression of T-bet and granzyme B in murine DX-5+ NK cells. IL-27 also enhances cytotoxic activity of NK cells both in vitro and in vivo, while the in vitro viability of NK cells is also improved by this cytokine.