Cytokines and their role as immunotherapeutics and vaccine Adjuvants: The emerging concepts

• Published in: Cytokine (Philadelphia, Pa.) Pa.), 2023-09, Vol.169, p.156268-156268, Article 156268
• Main Authors: Rahman, Tanjilur, Das, Ayan, Abir, Mehedy Hasan, Nafiz, Iqbal Hossain, Mahmud, Aar Rafi, Sarker, Md. Rifat, Emran, Talha Bin, Hassan, Mohammad Mahmudul
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adjuvants; Cytokines; Interferons; Interleukins; Therapeutics
• ISSN: 1043-4666; 1096-0023
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156268

•Cytokines consist of large protein families such as interleukins, lymphokines, chemokines, interferons and involve in the regulation of the immune response such as immunotolerant activity through complex signaling pathways.•Several cytokines (IL-2, IL-11, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-α, IFN-β, IFN-γ, etc.) are already approved as disease therapeutics, and many other cytokines are being investigated for their anti-cancer, anti-microbial, immunomodulatory properties in the preclinical studies and trials.•Interleukins, interferons, and other cytokines are potential immunoadjuvants as they can influence the development of antigen-specific responses when applied with a vaccine as an adjuvant.•Various properties of cytokines make them potential candidates for using them as therapeutic agents or vaccine adjuvant against both microbial diseases and cancer despite having some limitations. Cytokines are a protein family comprising interleukins, lymphokines, chemokines, monokines and interferons. They are significant constituents of the immune system, and they act in accordance with specific cytokine inhibiting compounds and receptors for the regulation of immune responses. Cytokine studies have resulted in the establishment of newer therapies which are being utilized for the treatment of several malignant diseases. The advancement of these therapies has occurred from two distinct strategies. The first strategy involves administrating the recombinant and purified cytokines, and the second strategy involves administrating the therapeutics which inhibits harmful effects of endogenous and overexpressed cytokines. Colony stimulating factors and interferons are two exemplary therapeutics of cytokines. An important effect of cytokine receptor antagonist is that they can serve as anti-inflammatory agents by altering the treatments of inflammation disorder, therefore inhibiting the effects of tumour necrosis factor. In this article, we have highlighted the research behind the establishment of cytokines as therapeutics and vaccine adjuvants, their role of immunotolerance, and their limitations.