An essential role for programmed death-1 in the control of autoimmunity: implications for the future of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

摘要

Co-inhibitory receptors are expressed by lymphocytes and other immune system cells. Their central function is to control the activation of the lymphocyte responses by providing negative signals in conjunction with signals from lymphocyte antigen receptors ('cosignaling'). Recently, co-inhibitory molecules have been extensively studied due to the broad spectrum of their potential application in various novel immuno-therapeutic approaches. The cosignaling aspect of these receptors is particularly appealing for clinical development, as nondepleting antibodies targeting these co-inhibitory receptors will only affect lymphocytes that are encountering (or have recently encountered) their cognate antigen; ligation of co-inhibitors alone, without antigen receptor signals, has no effect.