Thoracic malignancies, including lung cancer, esophageal cancer, breast cancer, and thymic carcinoma, are one of the major global health problems. Innate immunity, which is the first line of defense against infection and cancer, has been reported to play a critical role in thoracic malignancies. The effector cells of the innate immune system include natural killer T (NKT) cells, ?d T cells, dendritic cells (DC), monocytes, macrophages, granulocytes, and a group of innate lymphocytes called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), which includes NK cells, ILC1, ILC2, ILC3, and lymphoid tissue inducer cells (LTi).
As the sensors for innate immunity, pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) can recognize viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens to initiate immune responses. PRRs are bifacial in the regulation of anti-tumor immunity. On the one hand, they could maintain the host-microflora homeostasis and remove dead or mutant cells to inhibit tumorigenesis; while on the other hand, they could induce chronic inflammation and form an anti-inflammatory microenvironment that promotes tumorigenesis. Moreover, PRRs not only recognize dangerous signals to initiate natural immune killing and subsequent acquired immune responses to inhibit tumor progression, but also recognize endogenous ligands released by tumors to promote the production of inhibitory cell subsets and cytokines, thereby inducing tumor immune tolerance and immunosuppression. Of note, PRRs expressed by tumor cells play important roles in the occurrence and development of cancer.
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are the most important PRRs in innate immunity. Contemporary studies have demonstrated the tumor-promoting as well as tumor-suppressing roles of TLRs in thoracic malignancies. For instance, activation of TLRs on cells of the tumor microenvironment can promote immune evasion by alterations of Tregs, thereby promoting lung cancer cell proliferation. On the other hand, they are also involved in activating the immune system to generate anti-tumor immunity. Thus, a profound understanding of TLR-associated mechanisms will help us elucidate the links between the innate immune system and thoracic malignancies.
This Research Topic aims to help understand innate immunity and TLRs in thoracic malignancies and provide new insights into their translational application. We welcome submissions of Original Research and Review articles covering, but not limited to, the following aspects:
1) Role of innate immune cells in the pathogenesis of thoracic malignancies;
2) Diagnostic and prognostic values of TLRs in thoracic cancers;
3) Activation, signal transduction, and transcriptional modulation of TLRs in thoracic cancers;
4) Receptor cooperation and interaction between TLRs and other receptors in thoracic tumors;
5) Immune escape mechanisms of thoracic malignancies and harness innate immune cells for immunotherapy;
6) The latest research on TLR agonists.
Thoracic malignancies, including lung cancer, esophageal cancer, breast cancer, and thymic carcinoma, are one of the major global health problems. Innate immunity, which is the first line of defense against infection and cancer, has been reported to play a critical role in thoracic malignancies. The effector cells of the innate immune system include natural killer T (NKT) cells, ?d T cells, dendritic cells (DC), monocytes, macrophages, granulocytes, and a group of innate lymphocytes called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), which includes NK cells, ILC1, ILC2, ILC3, and lymphoid tissue inducer cells (LTi).
As the sensors for innate immunity, pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) can recognize viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens to initiate immune responses. PRRs are bifacial in the regulation of anti-tumor immunity. On the one hand, they could maintain the host-microflora homeostasis and remove dead or mutant cells to inhibit tumorigenesis; while on the other hand, they could induce chronic inflammation and form an anti-inflammatory microenvironment that promotes tumorigenesis. Moreover, PRRs not only recognize dangerous signals to initiate natural immune killing and subsequent acquired immune responses to inhibit tumor progression, but also recognize endogenous ligands released by tumors to promote the production of inhibitory cell subsets and cytokines, thereby inducing tumor immune tolerance and immunosuppression. Of note, PRRs expressed by tumor cells play important roles in the occurrence and development of cancer.
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are the most important PRRs in innate immunity. Contemporary studies have demonstrated the tumor-promoting as well as tumor-suppressing roles of TLRs in thoracic malignancies. For instance, activation of TLRs on cells of the tumor microenvironment can promote immune evasion by alterations of Tregs, thereby promoting lung cancer cell proliferation. On the other hand, they are also involved in activating the immune system to generate anti-tumor immunity. Thus, a profound understanding of TLR-associated mechanisms will help us elucidate the links between the innate immune system and thoracic malignancies.
This Research Topic aims to help understand innate immunity and TLRs in thoracic malignancies and provide new insights into their translational application. We welcome submissions of Original Research and Review articles covering, but not limited to, the following aspects:
1) Role of innate immune cells in the pathogenesis of thoracic malignancies;
2) Diagnostic and prognostic values of TLRs in thoracic cancers;
3) Activation, signal transduction, and transcriptional modulation of TLRs in thoracic cancers;
4) Receptor cooperation and interaction between TLRs and other receptors in thoracic tumors;
5) Immune escape mechanisms of thoracic malignancies and harness innate immune cells for immunotherapy;
6) The latest research on TLR agonists.