Eph Receptor Tyrosine Kinases in Tumor Immunity

The family of Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin ligands regulate a diverse array of physiologic processes, such as axonal guidance, bone remodeling, and immune cell development and trafficking. Eph/ephrin interactions have also been implicated in various pathologic processes, including inflammation, cancer, and tumor angiogenesis. Because Eph receptors play prominent roles in both the immune system and cancer, they likely impact the tumor immune microenvironment, an area in which Eph receptors remain understudied. Here, we provide the first comprehensive review of Eph receptors in the context of tumor immunity. With the recent rise of cancer immunotherapies as promising therapeutic interventions, further elucidation of the roles of Eph receptors in the tumor immune microenvironment will be critical for understanding and developing novel targets against tumor immune evasion. (C) 2016 AACR.