Decoding the IL-33/ST2 Axis: Its Impact on the Immune Landscape of Breast Cancer
Bojan Stojanović, Bojan Stojanović, Nevena Gajović, Milena Jurišević, Milica Dimitrijevic Stojanovic, Marina Jovanović, Ivan Jovanović, Bojana Stojanović, Bojana Stojanović, Bojan Milošević
Abstract
Interleukin-33 (IL-33) has emerged as a critical cytokine in the regulation of the immune system, showing a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of various diseases including cancer. This review emphasizes the role of the IL-33/ST2 axis in breast cancer biology, its contribution to cancer progression and metastasis, its influence on the tumor microenvironment and cancer metabolism, and its potential as a therapeutic target. The IL-33/ST2 axis has been shown to have extensive pro-tumorigenic features in breast cancer, starting from tumor tissue proliferation and differentiation to modulating both cancer cells and anti-tumor immune response. It has also been linked to the resistance of cancer cells to conventional therapeutics. However, the role of IL-33 in cancer therapy remains controversial due to the conflicting effects of IL-33 in tumorigenesis and anti-tumor response. The possibility of targeting the IL-33/ST2 axis in tumor immunotherapy, or as an adjuvant in immune checkpoint blockade therapy, is discussed.