Function of steroid receptor coactivators (SRCs) in T cells and cancers: Implications for cancer immunotherapy

Steroid receptor coactivator (SRC) family members (SRC1, SRC2 and SRC3) are transcriptional co-regulators. SRCs orchestrate gene transcription by inducing transactivation of nuclear receptors and other transcription factors. Overexpression of SRCs is widely implicated in a range of cancers, especially hormone-related cancers. As coactivators, SRCs regulate multiple metabolic pathways involved in tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, and chemo-resistance. Emerging evidence in recent years suggest that SRCs also regulate maturation, differentiation, and cytotoxicity of T cells by controlling metabolic activities. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the function of SRCs in T cells as well as cancer cells. Importantly, the controversies of targeting SRCs for cancer immunotherapy as well as possible reconciliation strategies are also discussed.