T-cell death and cancer immune tolerance.

摘要

Cancer patients mount adaptive immune responses against their tumors. However, tumor develops many mechanisms to evade effective immunosurveillance. T-cell death caused by tumor plays a critical role in establishing tumor immunotolerance. Chronic stimulation of T cells by tumors leads to activation-induced cell death. Abortive stimulation of T cells by tolerogenic antigen-presenting cells loaded with tumor antigens leads to autonomous death of tumor-specific T cells. Therapeutic approaches that prevent T-cell death in the tumor microenvironment and tumor draining lymph nodes, therefore, should boost adaptive immune responses against cancer.Cell Death and Differentiation (2008) 15, 70-79; doi:10.1038/sj.cdd.4402274; published online 16 November 2007.