CCL16, a chemokine poorly characterized at the functional level. Human CCL16 is a member of the CC family, and its gene maps to human chromosome 17q. In the mouse, only a pseudogene has been identified to date. CCL16 is a functional ligand for CCR1, CCR2, CCR5, and CCR8. Recombinant CCL16 demonstrated chemotactic activity on human monocytes and lymphocytes. Based on the ability of human chemokines to exert activity on and bind to murine receptors, the TSA mouse adenocarcinoma cell line was transfected with human CCL16 cDNA and, in comparison with other cytokines, was shown to be the faster inducer of systemic immune response due to massive, prompt infiltration of leukocytes.Cancer ImmunotherapyImmune CheckpointImmunotherapyTargeted Therapy

CCL16 is a member of CC chemokine family. CCL16 cDNA encodes a 120 amino acid peptide along with a 23 amino acids signal peptide that is cleaved to generate 97 amino acid protein. CCL16 is distantly related to other CC chemokines, showing less than 30% sequence identity. CCL16 elicits its effects on cells by interacting with cell surface chemokine receptors such as CCR1, CCR2, CCR5 and CCR8. Recombinant CCL16 has been shown to chemoattract human monocytes and THP1 cells but not resting lymphocytes nor neutrophils. CCL16 has potent myelosuppressive activity, suppresses proliferation of myeloid progenitor cells. CCL16ninduces a calcium flux in THP1 cells that can be desensitized by prior exposure to RANTES, suggesting that CCL16 and RANTES share the same receptor in THP1 cells.

Dysregulation of MST1/STK4, a key kinase component of the Hippo-YAP pathway, is linked to the etiology of many cancers with poor prognosis. STK4/Hippo pathway may have important therapeutic implications for cancer. The tumor suppressor serine/threonine-protein kinase 4 (STK4) differentially regulates TLR3/4/9-mediated inflammatory responses in macrophages and thereby is protective against chronic inflammation-associated Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). STK4 has potential as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for inflammation-induced HCC.

SET and MYND domain-containing protein 3, also known as Zinc finger MYND domain-containing protein 1, SMYD3, and ZMYND, is a member of the histone-lysine methyltransferase family. SMYD3 contains one MYND-type zinc finger and one SET domain. SMYD3 is a histone H3 lysine-4-specific methyltransferase. It is expressed in skeletal muscles and testis. It is overexpressed in a majority of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). SMYD3 plays an important role in transcriptional regulation in human carcinogenesis. It activates the transcription of a set of downstream genes. Of these downstream genes, there are several oncogenes and genes associated with cell adhesion (including those of N-Myc, CrkL, Wnt1b, L-selectin, CD31 and galectin-4), which have been shown to have effects on cell viability, adhesion, migration and metastasis. Increased SMYD3 expression is essential for the proliferation of breast cancer cells. SMYD3 may be a promising new target of therapeutic intervention for the treatment of cancers or other pathological processes associated with cell adhesion and migration.