IL-9 was initially identified as a T cell growth factor with a potential oncogenic activity. Accordingly, IL-9 drives tumor growth in most hematological cancers. However, the links between IL-9 and cancer progression have been recently revisited following the discovery of TH9 cells. TH9 cells, which have been characterized in 2008 as a proinflammatory CD4 T cell subset that promotes protection against parasites and drives tissue inflammation in colitis, actually harbor potent IL-9-dependent anti-cancer properties in solid tumors and especially melanoma. While the molecular mechanisms underlying these observations are still being investigated, TH9 cells were demonstrated to activate both innate and adaptive immune responses, thereby favoring anti-cancer immunity and tumor elimination. Human TH9 cells have also been identified in cancer tissues, but their functions remain elusive. The present review aims to discuss the anti-cancer potential of TH9 cells and their possible clinical relevance for cancer immunotherapy.
Keywords: Adaptive immunity; CD4 T cells; Cancer; Gene transcription; Immunomodulation; Innate immunity.