Negative immune checkpoints on T lymphocytes and their relevance to cancer immunotherapy.

ABSTRACT: The term 'inhibitory checkpoint' refers to the broad spectrum of co-receptors expressed by T cells that negatively regulate T cell activation thus playing a crucial role in maintaining peripheral self-tolerance. Co-inhibitory receptor ligands are highly expressed by a variety of malignancies allowing evasion of anti-tumour immunity. Recent studies demonstrate that manipulation of these co-inhibitory pathways can remove the immunological brakes that impede endogenous immune responses against tumours. Antibodies that block the interactions between co-inhibitory receptors and their ligands have delivered very promising clinical responses, as has been shown by recent successful trials targeting the CTLA-4 and PD-1 pathways. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of action and expression pat

SUBMITTER: Sledzinska A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5528732 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature