Immunotherapy of pancreatic carcinoma with siRNA targeting TGF-beta

Increasing evidence suggests that immune responses are important in the control of tumors. Pancreatic cancers are often infiltrated with lymphocytes, which correlates with a better prognosis. Continued tumor growth in the presence of a lymphocytic infiltration indicates a failure of immune control. TGF-beta is a highly active immunosuppressive cytokine and high serum levels correlate with a poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer, making it an interesting target for immunotherapy. The ubiquitously expressed cytosolic helicase retinoic acid-inducible protein I (RIG-I) is an immunoreceptor that signals the presence of…