title: Regulatory circuits of T cell function in cancer.
abstract: Recent progress in cancer immunotherapy emphasizes the importance of understanding immune-regulatory pathways in tumours. Dysfunction of antitumour T cells may be due to mechanisms that are evolutionarily conserved or acquired by somatic mutations. The dysfunctional state of T cells has been termed 'exhaustion', on the basis of similarities to dysfunctional T cells in chronic infections. However, despite shared properties, recent studies have identified marked differences between T cell dysfunction in cancer and chronic infection. In this Review, we discuss T cell-intrinsic molecular alterations and metabolic communication in the tumour microenvironment. Identification of the underlying molecular drivers of T cell dysfunction is essential for the continued progress of cancer research and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Ludwig Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Biopole 3 - 02DB92, Chemin des Boveresses 155, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.|Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Ontario Cancer Institute, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada.
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Speiser
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Ludwig Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Biopole 3 - 02DB92, Chemin des Boveresses 155, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ping-Chih
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Ludwig Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, Biopole 3 - 02DB92, Chemin des Boveresses 155, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Grégory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verdeil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D056747:Immunomodulation; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000276:immunology