CD4+ T cell-derived IL-22 enhances liver metastasis by promoting angiogenesis.

Metastasis is a cancer-related systemic disease and is responsible for the greatest mortality rate among cancer patients. Interestingly, the interaction between the immune system and cancer cells seems to play a key role in metastasis formation in the target organ. However, this complex network is only partially understood. We previously found that IL-22 produced by tissue resident iNKT17 cells promotes cancer cell extravasation, the early step of metastasis. Based on these data, we aimed here to decipher the role of IL-22 in the last step of metastasis formation. We found that IL-22 levels were increased in established metastatic sites in both human and mouse. We also found that Th22 cells were the key source of IL-22 in established metastasis sites, and that deletion of IL-22 in CD4+ T cells was protective in liver metastasis formation. Accordingly, the administration of a murine IL-22 neutralizing antibody in the establishment of metastasis formation significantly reduced the metastatic burden in a mouse model. Mechanistically, IL-22-producing Th22 cells promoted angiogenesis in established metastasis sites. In conclusion, our findings highlight that IL-22 is equally as important in contributing to metastasis formation at late metastatic stages, and thus, identify it as a novel therapeutic target in established metastasis.

IL-22BP controls the progression of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Background: The immune system plays a pivotal role in cancer progression. Interleukin 22 binding protein (IL-22BP), a natural antagonist of the cytokine interleukin 22 (IL-22) has been shown to control the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the role of IL-22BP in the process of metastasis formation remains unknown. Methods: We used two different murine in vivo metastasis models using the MC38 and LLC cancer cell lines and studied lung and liver metastasis formation after intracaecal or intrasplenic injection of cancer cells. Furthermore, IL22BP expression was measured in a clinical cohort of CRC patients and correlated with metastatic tumor stages. Results: Our data indicate that low levels of IL-22BP are associated with advanced (metastatic) tumor stages in colorectal cancer. Using two different murine in vivo models we show that IL-22BP indeed controls the progression of liver but not lung metastasis in mice. Conclusions: We here demonstrate a crucial role of IL-22BP in controlling metastasis progression. Thus, IL-22 might represent a future therapeutic target against the progression of metastatic CRC.