Cytokine Networks in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Targets, and Emerging Strategies

Rosado-Sanz, María; Martínez-Alarcón, Nuria; Abellán-Soriano, Adrián; Golfe, Raúl; Trinidad, Eva M.; Font de Mora, Jaime

doi:10.3390/biomedicines13081945

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Cytokine Networks in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Targets, and Emerging Strategies

by

María Rosado-Sanz

^†

,

Nuria Martínez-Alarcón

^†

,

Adrián Abellán-Soriano

,

Raúl Golfe

,

Eva M. Trinidad

^*,‡

and

Jaime Font de Mora

^*,‡

Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology and Clinical and Translational Research in Cancer, Health Research Institute Hospital La Fe, Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106, 46026 Valencia, Spain

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work as joint first authors.

^‡

These authors also contributed equally to this work as joint senior authors.

Biomedicines 2025, 13(8), 1945; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13081945

Submission received: 30 June 2025 / Revised: 1 August 2025 / Accepted: 6 August 2025 / Published: 8 August 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Triple Negative Breast Cancer: From Mechanisms to Therapeutic Approaches)

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Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a challenging subtype of breast cancer due to its aggressive nature and lack of targeted therapies. Cytokines play a pivotal role in shaping the tumor microenvironment, modulating tumor progression, immune evasion, and therapy resistance. In this review, we discuss the complex cytokine networks involved in TNBC biology, highlighting their contribution to key oncogenic processes, including proliferation, angiogenesis, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and immunomodulation. We also summarize current and emerging cytokine-targeted therapeutic strategies, including monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, cell-based therapies, and cytokine-armed CAR-T and CAR-NK cell approaches, with a focus on clinical implications and future directions.

Keywords: triple-negative breast cancer; cytokines; therapeutic targets; immunomodulation; clinical trial

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MDPI and ACS Style

Rosado-Sanz, M.; Martínez-Alarcón, N.; Abellán-Soriano, A.; Golfe, R.; Trinidad, E.M.; Font de Mora, J. Cytokine Networks in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Targets, and Emerging Strategies. Biomedicines 2025, 13, 1945. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13081945

AMA Style

Rosado-Sanz M, Martínez-Alarcón N, Abellán-Soriano A, Golfe R, Trinidad EM, Font de Mora J. Cytokine Networks in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Targets, and Emerging Strategies. Biomedicines. 2025; 13(8):1945. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13081945

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rosado-Sanz, María, Nuria Martínez-Alarcón, Adrián Abellán-Soriano, Raúl Golfe, Eva M. Trinidad, and Jaime Font de Mora. 2025. "Cytokine Networks in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Targets, and Emerging Strategies" Biomedicines 13, no. 8: 1945. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13081945

APA Style

Rosado-Sanz, M., Martínez-Alarcón, N., Abellán-Soriano, A., Golfe, R., Trinidad, E. M., & Font de Mora, J. (2025). Cytokine Networks in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Targets, and Emerging Strategies. Biomedicines, 13(8), 1945. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13081945

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Cytokine Networks in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mechanisms, Therapeutic Targets, and Emerging Strategies

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