Figure 2.

The therapeutic modulation of IL-12 family cytokines may enhance the efficacy of conventional therapy. Recent studies indicate that the therapies targeting (either upregulating or downregulating) the IL-12 family cytokines in combination with other standard therapies may increase treatment effectiveness. Context-dependent functions of IL-12 cytokines in cancer could drive the development of inhibitor or augmentative therapy axes, respectively. Drugs or antibodies targeting IL-12 family cytokines may help to restrain immune suppression within the tumor microenvironment (TME) and allow for the infiltration and proliferation of anti-tumor immune cells. Additionally, the targeted delivery of these cytokines with the help of adenovirus or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells may enhance cytotoxicity and tumor cell clearance. Such approaches could make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation, chemotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade therapy.