5-FU-Induced Upregulation of Exosomal PD-L1 Causes Immunosuppression in Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients.

ABSTRACT: Although the cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is generally considered to directly kill cancer cells and exert immunostimulatory effects in advanced gastric cancer, accumulating evidence indicates that it upregulates the expression of PD-L1, a representative immune checkpoint blockade molecule involved in negative regulation of the immune response. It was reported that exosomes could transfer functional PD-L1 locally and distantly to suppress the antitumor immune response. However, whether 5-FU alters the expression of exosomal PD-L1 and induces immunosuppression in gastric cancer remains unclear. Herein, we found that 5-FU increased gastric cancer-derived exosomal PD-L1. Importantly, compared with baseline levels, circulating exosomal PD-L1 was significantly upregulat

SUBMITTER: Zhang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7188923 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature