Multiomic analysis of cytokines in immuno-oncology

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Cytokines are a diverse group of peptides produced by different cell types including cancer cells and various subpopulations of immune system cells. They exert their effects as cellular secreted mediators after binding to appropriate membrane receptors.

Area covered: In this modern era of a multiomic approach to immuno-oncology this paper discusses the multiple roles of cytokines in oncology and our current understanding of the complex interactions between a tumor and host (in the so-called tumor microenvironment). Because of their pivotal role in biomedicine, we focus on critical comments about advantage between many techniques which are helping our understanding of the signal transduction process, gene activation, gene regulation and their clinical significance.

Expert opinion: Integrated investigations based on a multiomic approach to the interactions between cells of the immune system and cancer, which focus at different cellular, molecular and nuclear levels, and involving proteomics, genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and pharmacogenomics, are expected to lead to improved cancer diagnoses and treatment in the future.

KEYWORDS:

• Cytokine
• cancer
• immunology
• inflammation
• innate lymphoid cells
• system biology
• proteomics
• transcriptomics
• genomics
• pharmacogenomic

Article highlights

• cytokines play a major role in the regulation of the cellular responses between tumors and the immune system.

• multiomic investigation of cytokines involves a combination of analyses through various methods depending on the cell samples and tissues types.

• In clinical research ELISA assays are the gold standard for determining cytokines, however multiplex methods have also been recommended in recent times.

• intracellular cytokines are determined through modern techniques based on proteomics and genomic principles.

• the produced cytokines are determined through various methods that allow their measurement even at low concentrations.

• multiomic principles in cytokine analysis are vital for creating new and modern pharmacogenomic therapy profiles, fundamental to personalised and individual medicine.

Acknowledgements

I express special gratitude to Dr. Henry Dushan Edward Atkinson for his extraordinary help in interpreting the grammar of the English language.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was funded by the Serbian Ministarstvo Prosvete, Nauke i Tehnološkog Razvoja, grant number: 175056