Tumor Immunology

Viral antigens are not typically considered tumor antigens, as they are associated with viral infections rather than cancer.

Cytotoxic T cells directly kill tumor cells through the release of cytotoxic molecules, such as perforin and granzymes.

Dendritic cells are specialized antigen-presenting cells that capture, process, and present antigens to T cells, initiating an immune response.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors work by blocking inhibitory receptors on T cells, such as PD-1 and CTLA-4, thereby releasing the brakes on T cell activity and enhancing anti-tumor immune responses.

Immune surveillance refers to the immune system's ability to continuously monitor and eliminate abnormal or potentially cancerous cells, preventing tumor development.

Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is a key cytokine that promotes the differentiation of naive T cells into Th1 cells, which are important for cell-mediated immunity and anti-tumor responses.

Immune evasion refers to the strategies employed by tumor cells to avoid detection and elimination by the immune system, such as downregulating antigen expression or expressing inhibitory molecules.

Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes that can kill tumor cells through ADCC, a process in which antibodies bound to tumor cells recruit NK cells to mediate cell lysis.

TILs are T cells that have infiltrated the tumor microenvironment and are directly involved in tumor cell killing through cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

Mutated neoantigens are tumor antigens that arise from somatic mutations in genes encoding proteins, leading to the expression of novel epitopes that can be recognized by the immune system.

Immune exhaustion is a state of T cell dysfunction characterized by impaired effector function, reduced cytokine production, and upregulation of inhibitory receptors, often occurring in chronic infections or cancer.

Macrophages are phagocytic cells that play a role in tumor immunity by engulfing and destroying tumor cells, as well as presenting tumor antigens to other immune cells.

Immune evasion refers to the strategies employed by tumor cells to suppress or downregulate the immune response against them, such as expressing inhibitory molecules or releasing immunosuppressive factors.

B cells are responsible for producing antibodies, which can recognize and bind to tumor-associated antigens, leading to the activation of complement and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC).

Immune tolerance refers to the ability of the immune system to distinguish between self and non-self molecules, preventing autoimmune reactions against self-antigens.