Regulation and activation of T lymphocytes depend on signalling by the T cell receptor (TCR) and also by cosignalling receptors that deliver negative or positive signals (see overview chart). The amplitude and quality of the immune response of T cells is controlled by an equilibrium between costimulatory and inhibitory signals called immune checkpoints. Under normal physiological conditions, immune checkpoints are crucial for the maintenance of self-tolerance and to protect tissues from damage during pathogenic infection. Manipulations of stimulatory or inhibitory immune checkpoints using monoclonal antibodies, soluble receptors (fusion proteins) or small molecules may provide therapeutic strategies for autoimmune diseases, tumour growth, infectious diseases and transplantation by decreasing or enhancing T cell activity. IHC-competent antibodies and highly sensitive immunoassays are of great importance for diagnostic and therapeutic control purposes.
Cancer immunotherapy (also called immuno-oncology) is an artificial stimulation of the immune system to treat cancer, improving on the system’s natural ability to fight cancer. Immune checkpoints are regulators of the immune system that maintain immune homeostasis and prevent autoimmunity. Inhibitory checkpoint molecules, such as CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1 or LAG-3 are targets for cancer immunotherapy due to their potential of counteracting major tumour immune evasion mechanisms. AdipoGen Life Sciences offers a broad panel of immune checkpoint reagents, including recombinant proteins, antibodies and ELISA Kits.
Literature References:
- The future of immune checkpoint therapy: P. Sharma & J.P. Allison; Science 348, 56 (2015)
- Immune checkpoint blockade in infectious diseases: M.N. Wykes & S.R. Lewin; Nat. Rev. Immunol. 18, 91 (2018)
- Fundamental Mechanisms of Immune Checkpoint Blockade Therapy: S.C. Wei, et al.; Cancer Discov. 8, 1069 (2018)
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Originally posted on adipogen.com/immune-checkpoints
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