Immune checkpoint proteins as new target for cancer immunotherapy: literature review

• Autor(a) principal: Teixeira, Henrique Couto
• Data de Publicação: 2019
• Outros Autores: da Silva Dias, Lavínia, Menão, Tauane Larissa, Esteves de Oliveira, Erick
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: HU Revista (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.ufjf.br/index.php/hurevista/article/view/28820
• topic: Antibodies; Cancer; Immunotherapy; T-Lymphocytes; Immunomodulation; Anticorpos; Câncer; Imunoterapia; Linfócitos T; Imunomodulação

A new era in cancer treatment is emerging with the use of antibodies directed against immune checkpoint proteins, known as “checkpoint inhibitors”. A novel concept of “magic bullets”, concepted by Paul Ehrlich at the beginning of the last century, as being capable of acting directly on the destruction of tumor targets, is now represented by antibodies directed against molecules which block the antitumor activity of the immune system, such as Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and Programmed Cell Death Protein-1 (PD-1). These new immunotherapies have revolutionized the treatment of different cancer types. Studies on CTLA-4, PD-1, and their ligands in antigen presenting cells are discussed in this review. The importance of tumor antigen discovery and the role of the immune system in immune surveillance of tumors were highlighted. Also in the present study, aspects related to the effects of immunotherapies based on the use of anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/ PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies are described, such as the risk of stimulating responses tonormal tissues and other adverse effects, as well as the use of combination therapies which can improve the efficacy of cancer treatment.