Immune Checkpoint Molecules and Cancer Immunotherapy

Dear Colleagues,

Immune checkpoint molecules are proteins on the surface of immune cells, like “brakes” on the immune system, that regulate the immune response and prevent it from damaging healthy cells. Cancer cells can sometimes hijack these brakes to avoid being destroyed by the immune system.

Cancer immunotherapy is a revolutionary approach to cancer treatment that harnesses the power of the body's own immune system to fight cancer cells. Immune checkpoint inhibitors work by releasing these brakes, allowing the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. There are different types of immune checkpoint inhibitors: some block the interaction between immune checkpoint molecules and their ligands, while others enhance the activation of immune cells. These drugs have revolutionized cancer treatment and shown remarkable success in treating various cancers, including melanoma, lung cancer, and kidney cancer, thus offering new hope for patients who previously had limited options.

A major focus is understanding why some patients develop resistance to immunotherapy and finding ways to overcome it. The intricate mechanisms by which immunotherapy works are still waiting to be unraveled, including how immune cells recognize and attack cancer cells and how different types of immunotherapies interact with the immune system. To address these challenges, researchers have explored PD-L1 expression and the tumor mutational burden as biomarkers to assess response to immunotherapy. More biomarkers from various sources such as extracellular vesicles will be identified to help personalize treatment decisions. Moreover, new immune checkpoints and the development of novel immunotherapy drugs and combinations to enhance efficacy and expand treatment options are also worth exploring.

This Special Issue aims to explore the intricate mechanisms by which immune checkpoint molecules work and the relevant potential application in different types of immunotherapies for cancer treatment.

Dr. Zhiyuan Qin
Dr. Shujing Liu
Guest Editors

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• immune checkpoint molecules
• cancer immunity
• tumor immune microenvironment
• cancer immunotherapy
• biomarkers