Molecular pathways: coexpression of immune checkpoint molecules: signaling pathways and implications for cancer immunotherapy.

ABSTRACT: The expression of immune checkpoint molecules on T cells represents an important mechanism that the immune system uses to regulate responses to self-proteins. Checkpoint molecules include cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4, programmed death-1, lymphocyte activation gene-3, T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin protein-3, and several others. Previous studies have identified individual roles for each of these molecules, but more recent data show that coexpression of checkpoint molecules occurs frequently on cancer-specific T cells as well as on pathogen-specific T cells in chronic infections. As the signaling pathways associated with each checkpoint molecule have not been fully elucidated, blocking multiple checkpoints with specific monoclonal antibodies results in improved outcomes in several chron

SUBMITTER: Nirschl CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4005613 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature