Lecture 22 - Tumor Immunology & Immunotherapy Flashcards
how do tumours affect the immune system?
tumour evades the immune system
4 ways that tumours evade immune system
- recruit immunosuppressive cells
- ineffective tumour Ag presentation
- release immunosuppressive factors
- T cell checkpoint dysregulation
2 types of immunosuppressive cells recruited by tumour cells
- Tregs
- MDSCs
what are MDSCs?
myeloid derived suppressor cells
role of immunosuppressive cells in immune evasion?
protect the tumour
describe ineffective tumour Ag presentation
cells in TME are poor expressors of MHC on tumour cells –> escape cytolysis and suppress APCs, essentially blocking signal 1
how does TME cause T cell checkpoint dysregulation?
TME determines expression of co-stimulator and co-inhibitory molecules on T cells
- want to dysregulate co-stimulation
- want to promote co-inhibition (CTLA4, PD1)
what happens when T cells lack co-stimulation?
T cells become anergic –> no active T cells
how does the TME affect TCR?
DOWNREGULATES TCR to prevent transcription events required for T cell activation
to help their survival, what types of pathways do tumour cells not have?
tumour cells lack apoptotic or other cell destructive pathways
3 phases of cancer immunoediting process
- Elimination
- Equilibrium
- Escape
what happens in the ELIMINATION phase of immunoediting?
vulnerable tumour cells are cleared by immune system, but cells can acquire ability to avoid immune system
what happens in the EQUILIBRIUM phase of immunoediting?
driven by strong selective pressure from immune system
tumour not regressing or proressing
- tumour cells have adapted and accumulated evasion traits bc of genetic instability
- and cells with strongest tumour Ag have been eliminated
what happens in the ESCAPE phase of immunoediting?
tumour cells evade immune system
- tumours are more rapidly dividing with transfer of resistance from parent to daughter cell
what is immuno-oncology?
uses immunotherapy to treat cancer where the own body’s own immune system fights disease
what are 3 traditional approaches for cancer?
- surgery
- radiation
- cytotoxic/targeted therapy
what are passive immunotherapies?
act on the tumour but DO NOT REQUIRE the patient’s immune system to initiate response
2 types of passive immunotherapies
- tumour-directed mAb
- cell therapies
what are tumour-directed mAb?
Ab specific for Ag on tumours
3 types of tumour-directed Abs
- monoclonal/single Ag
- unconjugated
- conjugated
4 ways that mAbs can treat cancer
- mark cells for destruction
- interfere with receptor signaling
- promote receptor degradation
- deliver anti-cancer agents to tumour cells
2 ways that mAb can mark cells for destruction
- trigger complement response
- trigger cell-mediated responses
why do tumour-directed mAb interfere with receptor signaling?
prevents it from receiving important signals so it ends up not functional
why do tumour-directed mAb promote receptor degradation?
allows receptor internalization so it can be degraded
what is a tumour antigen?
only expressed on tumour
what is a tumour-associated antigen?
expressed on both tumour and host but higher expression on tumour