IL-6 signaling and breast cancer
The disclosure provides, inter alia, methods of detecting IL-6 signaling activity in T cells in breast cancer patients, such as breast cancer patients in remission.
1. A method of detecting IL-6 activity in a breast cancer patient in remission, the method comprising the steps of:
(i) obtaining a biological sample comprising CD4 + T cells from the breast cancer patient in remission;
(ii) contacting the biological sample with either: (a) an IL-6 pathway detection agent capable of binding an IL-6 pathway protein, wherein the IL-6 pathway protein is phosphorylated STAT1, phosphorylated STAT3, IL-6Rα, or ADAM17, thereby forming a detectable complex; or (b) an IL-6 pathway probe capable of hybridizing an IL-6 pathway mRNA expression sequence, wherein the IL-6 pathway mRNA expression sequence is gp130; thereby forming a hybridization complex; and
(iii) detecting and/or quantifying either: (a) the detectable complex; or (b) the hybridization complex, respectively;
thereby detecting IL-6 activity in the breast cancer patient in remission.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample is a blood sample.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample is a peripheral blood sample.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample is peripheral blood mononuclear cell sample.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CD4 + T cells are naïve CD4 + T cells.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IL-6 pathway protein is IL-6Rα.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IL-6 pathway protein is ADAM 17.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IL-6 pathway protein is phosphorylated STAT1.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IL-6 pathway protein is phosphorylated STAT3.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: (i) monitoring the patient for breast cancer relapse; (ii) administering to the patient an anti-cancer agent; or (iii) monitoring the patient for breast cancer relapse and administering to the patient an anti-cancer agent.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IL-6 pathway detection agent comprises: (i) an antibody; (ii) an antibody bound to an enzyme; (iii) a primary antibody bound to a secondary antibody that is bound to an enzyme; (iv) biotin and streptavidin; (v) biotin streptavidin, and an enzyme; (vi) biotin and avidin, or (vii) biotin, avidin, and an enzyme.