CD8 T Cell Exhaustion in the Tumor Microenvironment of Breast Cancer

Overview

Journal Front Immunol

Specialty Allergy & Immunology

Date 2024 Dec 24

PMID 39717767

Authors

Hanghang Xie

Xiaowei Xi

Ting Lei

Hongli Liu

Zhijia Xia

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

CD8+ T cells are crucial cytotoxic components of the tumor immune system. In chronic inflammation, they become low-responsive, a state known as T cell exhaustion (TEX). The aim of immune checkpoint blockade is to counteract TEX, yet its dynamics in breast cancer remain poorly understood. This review defines CD8+ TEX and outlines its features and underlying mechanisms. It also discusses the primary mechanisms of CD8+ TEX in breast cancer, covering inhibitory receptors, immunosuppressive cells, cytokines, transcriptomic and epigenetic alterations, metabolic reprogramming, and exosome pathways, offering insights into potential immunotherapy strategies for breast cancer.

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