Ruxolitinib is a medication used to manage and treat myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera, and steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease. It is in the Janus Kinase inhibitor class of medications. Ruxolitinib is a selective and potent inhibitor of JAK2 and JAK1, with some affinity against JAK3 and TYK2. Anticancer effects of ruxolitinib are attributed to its inhibition of JAKs and JAK-mediated phosphorylation of STAT3. By downregulating the JAK-STAT pathway, ruxolitinib inhibits myeloproliferation and suppresses the plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α. Activated JAKS stimulate T-effector cell responses, leading to increased proliferation of effector T cells and heightened production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. By blocking JAK1 and JAk2, ruxolitinib inhibits donor T-cell expansion and suppresses pro-inflammatory responses. The Janus kinase (JAK) family of protein tyrosine kinases comprises JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, and non-receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2). JAKs play a pivotal role in intracellular signalling pathways of various cytokines and growth factors essential to hematopoiesis, such as interleukin, erythropoietin, and thrombopoietin. JAKs have diverse functions: JAK1 and JAK3 promote lymphocyte differentiation, survival, and function, while JAK2 promotes signal transduction of erythropoietin and thrombopoietin. JAKs are in close proximity to the cytokine and growth factor receptor’s cytoplasmic region. Upon binding of cytokines and growth factors, JAKs are activated, undergoing cross-phosphorylation and tyrosine phosphorylation. This process also reveals selective binding sites for STATs, which are DNA-binding proteins that also bind to the cytoplasmic region of cytokine or growth factor receptors. Activated JAKs and STATs translocate to the nucleus as transcription factors to regulate gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-10, and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). They also activate downstream pathways that promote erythroid, myeloid, and megakaryocytic development.

Ruxolitinib Mechanism of Action Pathway References