Cancer remains one of the most complex challenges in modern medicine, with intricate relationships between immune responses and tumor development. This article examines a groundbreaking study by Fesneau, Thevin and colleagues, published in Nature Immunology. This elegant body of work explores the link between chronic inflammation and cancer, particularly focusing on Th17 cells involved in intestinal cancer initiation. Th17 cells, known for their dual roles in immunity, can promote or inhibit tumor growth depending on their environment. This study reveals that a specific subset of Th17 cells, derived from IL-17-producing cells, can transition to a tumorigenic state when TGF-β signaling is impaired. Surprisingly, TGF-β acts as a crucial regulatory factor, maintaining the balance between immune tolerance and tumorigenesis by preventing Th17 cells from becoming tumorigenic. This research highlights the potential for therapeutic interventions targeting TGF-β signaling to prevent cancer initiation in chronic inflammatory conditions. The findings have clinical implications for improving cancer immunotherapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive T cell therapies, by enhancing the efficacy of treatments and mitigating the risk of tumorigenic transformations. Overall, this study provides insights into the mechanisms linking inflammation and cancer, paving the way for innovative strategies to harness the immunity in cancer treatment.

中文翻译：

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肿瘤免疫学的范式转变：Th17 细胞和 TGF-β 在肠癌发生中的作用


癌症仍然是现代医学中最复杂的挑战之一，免疫反应与肿瘤发展之间存在复杂的关系。本文探讨了 Fesneau、Thevin 及其同事发表在《自然免疫学》杂志上的一项开创性研究。这部优雅的作品探索了慢性炎症与癌症之间的联系，特别关注参与肠癌发生的 Th17 细胞。 Th17 细胞以其在免疫中的双重作用而闻名，可以根据其环境促进或抑制肿瘤生长。这项研究表明，当 TGF-β 信号传导受损时，源自 IL-17 产生细胞的特定 Th17 细胞亚群可以转变为致瘤状态。令人惊讶的是，TGF-β 作为一个关键的调节因子，通过防止 Th17 细胞致瘤来维持免疫耐受和肿瘤发生之间的平衡。这项研究强调了针对 TGF-β 信号传导的治疗干预措施在预防慢性炎症条件下癌症发生的潜力。这些发现对于改善癌症免疫疗法（包括免疫检查点抑制剂和过继性 T 细胞疗法）具有临床意义，可提高治疗效果并降低致瘤转化的风险。总的来说，这项研究提供了对炎症和癌症之间联系机制的见解，为利用免疫治疗癌症的创新策略铺平了道路。