Basic overview of current immunotherapy approaches in urologic malignancy.
The immune response to evolving prostate cancer is a complex and carefully orchestrated process. Such a response is initiated when immature dendritic cells take up and process tumor-associated antigens. These dendritic cells must then be activated in order to present peptides to helper (CD4) T cells. Cytolytic (CD8) T cells are next "licensed" to achieve full effector function by interacting with both antigen presenting cells and tumor-specific CD4 T cells. Finally, activated CD8 T cells traffic to sites of neoplasia and mediate killing by multiple mechanisms. This article provides a basic overview of these processes, and discusses the manner by which current clinical interventions seek to augment or initiate an antitumor immune response. Various compensatory mechanisms which serve to down-regulate an antitumor response are also examined.
Drake
Charles G
CG
Oncology, Immunology, and Urology, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA. cdrake@jhmi.edu
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal