[Frontiers in Bioscience S4, 888-899, January 1, 2012]

The regulation and activity of interleukin-12

Ying Wang1,2, Kimberly T. Fan3, Jian-Ming Li1, Edmund K. Waller1

1 Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA; 2 Leukemia Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China; 3 Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. The regulation in the production of IL-12
4. Role of IL-12 in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation
5. Antitumor activity of IL-12
5.1. The combination of IL-12 and other costimulatory cytokines
5.2. The combination of IL-12 and other treatment
6. Antiviral activity of IL-12
7. Toxicity of rhIL-12
8. Conclusion
9. Acknowledgement
10. References

1. ABSTRACT

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a key cytokine in the development of T helper type 1 (Th1) cell polarization, and its production of IL-12 is redundantly regulated. An important pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-12 has been shown to have potent immunomodulatory, antitumor, and anti-infection activity in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, following a series of promising results from preclinical animal models experiments, researchers have begun to explore the clinical use of recombinant human IL-12 (rhIL-12) for treating a variety of diseases. In a series of phase I and phase II clinical trials related to cancer, viral infections, and hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT), various strategies of rhIL-12 administration have been used with promising preliminary clinical results associated with tolerable toxicities.