TSLP1: a new piece in the puzzle of tumor-associated Th2-type inflammation

Abstract

Tumors may usurp certain mediators and signaling pathways used by normal cells to evade or shift immune responses (1). Unlocking these mechanisms may help the implementation of novel therapeutic approaches in cancer patients. Two independent studies published in the March issue of Journal of Experimental Medicine (1,2) show that thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), an IL-7-related cytokine abundant in the tumor microenvironment, instructs dendritic cells (DCs) to shift the balance toward Th2-mediated inflammatory responses that incite and sustain tumor progression.