Conclusions
We provide the first evidence that IL-30 is implicated in prostate cancer progression because (i) its expression by prostate cancer or T- and LN-ILK correlates with advanced disease grade and stage; and (ii) IL-30 exerts protumor activity in hPCa cells.
Purpose
The interleukin (IL)-27 cytokine subunit p28, also called IL-30, has been recognized as a novel immunoregulatory mediator endowed with its own functions. These are currently the subject of
Results
IL-30, absent in normal prostatic epithelia, was expressed by cancerous epithelia with Gleason ≥ 7% of 21.3% of prostate cancer stage I to III and 40.9% of prostate cancer stage IV. IL-30 expression by tumor infiltrating leukocytes (T-ILK) was higher in stage IV that in stage I to III prostate cancer (P = 0.0006) or in control tissue (P = 0.0011). IL-30 expression in prostate draining lymph nodes (LN)-ILK was higher in stage IV than in stage I to III prostate cancer (P = 0.0031) or in control nodes (P = 0.0023). The main IL-30 sources were identified as CD68(+) macrophages, CD33(+)/CD11b(+) myeloid cells, and CD14(+) monocytes. In vitro, IL-30 stimulated proliferation of hPCa cells and also downregulated CCL16/LEC, TNFSF14/LIGHT, chemokine-like factor (CKLF), and particularly CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing 3 (CMTM3) and greatly upregulated ChemR23/CMKLR. Conclusions: We provide the first evidence that IL-30 is implicated in prostate cancer progression because (i) its expression by prostate cancer or T- and LN-ILK correlates with advanced disease grade and stage; and (ii) IL-30 exerts protumor activity in hPCa cells.