Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40805243›Full record

ReviewCancers2025

IFN γ and the IFN γ Signaling Pathways in Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

Lina Song, Jinye Guan, Qunmei Zhou, Wenshang Liu, Jürgen C Becker, Dan Deng

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cancers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Lina SongDepartment of Dermatology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.ORCID 0000-0002-4661-3035
Jinye GuanDepartment of Dermatology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
Qunmei ZhouDepartment of Dermatology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
Wenshang LiuDepartment of Dermatology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.
Jürgen C BeckerGerman Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Deutsches Krebsforschung Institut, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9183-653X
Dan DengDepartment of Dermatology, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.ORCID 0000-0001-7317-283X

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82173396Shanghai Sailing Program 23YF1405500
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Recent preclinical and clinical studies have confirmed the essential role of interferons in the host's immune response against malignant cells. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive skin cancer strongly associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). Despite progress in understanding MCC pathogenesis, the role of innate immune signaling, particularly interferon-γ (IFN γ) and its downstream pathways, remains underexplored. This review summarizes recent findings on IFN-γ in MCC, highlighting its dual role in promoting both antitumor immunity and immune evasion. IFN-γ enhances cytotoxic T cell responses, upregulates MHC class I/II expression, and induces tumor cell apoptosis. Transcriptomic studies have shown that IFN-γ treatment upregulates immune-regulatory genes including PD-L1, HLA-A/B/C, and IDO1 by over threefold; it also activates APOBEC3B and 3G, contributing to antiviral defense and tumor editing. Clinically, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as pembrolizumab and avelumab yield objective response rates of 30-56% and two-year overall survival rates exceeding 60% in advanced MCC. However, approximately 50% of patients do not respond, in part due to IFN-γ signaling deficiencies. This review further discusses IFN-γ's crosstalk with the STAT1/3/5 pathways and emerging combination strategies aimed at restoring immune sensitivity. Understanding these mechanisms may inform personalized immunotherapeutic approaches and guide the development of IFN-γ-based interventions in MCC.

Indexed as

immune evasionimmunotherapyinterferon-gamma (IFN γ)Merkel cell carcinomatumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID40805243
PMCPMC12346782

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.