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Review
. 2024 Jun 26;16(6):e63216.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.63216. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Protumorigenic Interferon-Stimulated Genes in Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

Affiliations
Review

Protumorigenic Interferon-Stimulated Genes in Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

Danial Qasim Butt et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), whose production is triggered by interferons, are known to defend the host from pathogenic and cancer-specific antigens, one of which is by inducing apoptosis in infected or mutated cells. It has been reported recently that specific ISGs aid cancer cells in evading immunosurveillance and inflammatory cells by inhibiting the apoptosis process. This report reviewed four apoptosis-regulating ISG proteins: interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), interferon alpha-inducible protein 27 (IFI27), interferon alpha-inducible protein 6 (IFI6), and radical S-adenosyl methionine domain containing 2 (RSAD2), demonstrating anti-apoptosis function, and considered them protumorigenic.

Keywords: apoptosis; cancer; immunosurveillance; isg; protumorigenic.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. ISGs regulating apoptotic pathways
TRAIL: tumour necrosis factor related-spoptosis-inducing ligand; FADD: Fas-associated protein with death domain; tBID: truncated active BID fragment; BID: BH3 interacting-domain death agonist; BAX: Bcl2 like protein 4; BAK: BRI1-associated receptor kinase 1 The image was created with BioRender.com.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Hypothetical view of protumorigenic ISG production and role in TME
ISG: interferon-stimulated gene; TME: tumour microenvironment; N: neutrophil; M: macrophage; L: lymphocyte; P: plasma cell; CC: cancer cell; DCC: dormant cancer cell; N2: immature neutrophil-tumour associated; M2: immature macrophage-tumour associated; P2: polarised plasma cell-tumour associated; CK: chemokines The figure was created with BioRender.com.

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