Th2 cytokines induce chemotherapy resistance in epithelial tumors via PI3K/AKT pathway

Several studies designate apoptosis as the predominant mechanism by which cancer cells die in response to chemotherapeutic drugs. Moreover, it was suggested that anti-apoptotic molecules activation play a pivotal role in the chemotherapeutic drugs resistance. We have recently demonstrated that the presence of Th2 cytokines in thyroid cancer microenvironment increase FLIP, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl expression levels and protect cancer cells from chemotherapeutic drugs induced apoptosis. Particularly, in this study we demonstrate that IL-4 and IL-10 promote proliferation and chemotherapy resistance activating the PI3K/AKT signal pathway. Therefore, we extensively studied cell survival-related substrat…