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The IL-23/IL-17 axis may be important in obesity-associated cancer by way of the activation of multiple signal pathways

International Journal of Obesity volume 34, pages 1227–1228 (2010)Cite this article

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In recent years, obesity has been linked with cancer by an epidemic study and is associated with 14% (men) to 20% (women) of all cancer deaths.1 Therefore, it is urgent to elucidate the mechanism(s) by which obesity increases the incidence of cancer. Several factors altered in obesity have been identified to be associated with the increased risk of cancer. They include increased blood levels of insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1, leptin, tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin (IL)-6, and decreased blood level of adiponectin.2 These altered factors activate several cellular signal pathways that promote cancer formation and poor prognosis.2 I read with great interest the paper ‘Increased activity of interleukin-23/interleukin-17 proinflammatory axis in obese women’ published in the November issue of the International Journal of Obesity.3 Sumarac-Dumanovic et al.3 found that the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-23/IL-17 axis is stimulated in obese women, whereas IL-12 and interferon γ are not changed. I think that increased IL-23/IL-17 levels in obesity may also be an important factor in obesity-associated cancer.

Recently, it has been demonstrated that IL-23/IL-17 can promote carcinogenesis of colon cancer. A human colonic bacterium named enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis can induce colitis and colonic tumor.4 This was demonstrated to be mediated by the IL-23/IL-17 signal pathway. Blockage of IL-23/IL-17 abolished enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis-induced colonic tumor formation. Thus, it is possible that an increased blood level of IL-23/IL-17 in obesity may also contribute to obesity-associated cancer in addition to the above-mentioned altered factors.

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  1. Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia

    J Chen

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  1. J Chen
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Chen, J. The IL-23/IL-17 axis may be important in obesity-associated cancer by way of the activation of multiple signal pathways. Int J Obes 34, 1227–1228 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.29

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    • D Stevanovic
    • M Sumarac-Dumanovic
    • V Trajkovic

    International Journal of Obesity (2010)

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