Immune checkpoint regulation

Immune checkpoint regulation is a fundamental biological process consisting of inhibitory and stimulatory pathways that maintain self-tolerance and modulate the duration and intensity of immune responses (Pardoll, 2012). These checkpoints are critical for preventing autoimmunity and protecting healthy tissues from damage during infection. However, many tumors hijack these inhibitory pathways, such as the PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 axes, to create an immunosuppressive microenvironment and evade T-cell-mediated destruction (Darvin et al., 2018). Therapeutic strategies focusing on immune checkpoint blockade utilize monoclonal antibodies to inhibit these brakes, effectively re-activating the patient's immune system against malignant cells (Ribas & Wolchok, 2018). While this approach has revolutionized oncology, it also carries the risk of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), where the immune system attacks healthy organs due to the systemic reduction in self-tolerance (Postow et al., 2018).

Other names

Immune checkpoint pathwayImmune checkpoint signalingImmune checkpointsImmune checkpoint blockade

Immune checkpoint inhibitors work by blocking inhibitory signaling pathways (such as PD-1/PD-L1 or CTLA-4) on T cells or their ligands on tumor cells, thereby releasing the brakes on the immune system and allowing T cells to recognize and attack cancer cells.