Opposing roles of eosinophils in cancer

AbstractEosinophils are a subset of granulocytes mostly known for their ability to combat parasites and induce allergy. Although they were described to be related to cancer more than 100  years ago, their role in tumors is still undefined. Recent observations revealed that they display regulatory functions towards other immune cell subsets in the tumor microenvironment or direct cytotoxic functions against tumor cells, leading to either antitumor or protumor effects. This paradoxic al role of eosinophils was suggested to be dependent on the different factors in the TME. In addition, the clinical relevance of these cells has been recently addressed. In most cases, the accumulation of eosinophils both in the tumor tissue, called tumor-associated tissue eosinophilia, and in the p eripheral blood were reported to be prognostic markers for a better outcome of cancer patients. In immunotherapy of cancer, particularly in therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors, eosinophils were even shown to be a potential predictive marker for a beneficial clinical response. A better understa nding of their role in cancer progression will help to establish them as prognostic and predictive markers and to design strategies for targeting eosinophils.
Source: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research