T-lymphocytes and other immune cells

T-lymphocytes and other immune cells constitute the primary defense mechanism of the vertebrate immune system, encompassing a diverse array of cell types including T cells, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and myeloid cells (National Cancer Institute, 2023). T-lymphocytes are central to adaptive immunity, utilizing T-cell receptors (TCR) to recognize specific antigens presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules (StatPearls, 2023). Other immune cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, facilitate innate immunity and antigen presentation, bridging the two arms of the immune system (Janeway's Immunobiology, 2016). In clinical pharmacology, these cells are not considered single molecular targets but are instead the biological context for numerous specific targets like PD-1, CTLA-4, and CD3 (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2020). Therapeutic strategies often aim to either suppress these cells to treat autoimmunity and prevent organ rejection or activate them to enhance anti-tumor surveillance. Consequently, modulating these cells carries risks of systemic immunosuppression or hyper-inflammatory responses such as cytokine release syndrome (PubMed, 2021).

Other names

T cellsLeukocytesWhite blood cellsLymphocytesImmune effectorsPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)

Drugs interacting with these cells typically function by modulating intracellular signaling pathways (e.g., calcineurin inhibition), blocking immune checkpoint receptors (e.g., PD-1/CTLA-4 inhibition), or inducing direct cell depletion through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).