Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Analysis of Human T Cell Activity in an Allogeneic Co-Culture Setting of Pre-Treated Tumor Cells
09:04

Analysis of Human T Cell Activity in an Allogeneic Co-Culture Setting of Pre-Treated Tumor Cells

Published on: March 7, 2025

1.8K

Epigenetic regulation of immune checkpoints: another target for cancer immunotherapy?

Mahmoud A Ali1, Marwa Matboli2, Marwa Tarek2

  • 1Microbiology & Immunology, Armed Forces College of Medicine (AFCM), Cairo, Egypt.

Immunotherapy
|December 22, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Epigenetic modifications influence cancer development and immune evasion by regulating immune checkpoints. Targeting the epigenome and immunome offers novel cancer therapy strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Carcinogenesis involves epigenetic alterations in oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes.
  • Tumor immune evasion mechanisms are influenced by both genetic and epigenetic factors.
  • Direct links between cancer genetic mutations and immune evasion are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the interplay between epigenetic modifications and immune modulation in cancer.
  • To highlight the role of epigenetic regulation in controlling immune checkpoints.
  • To discuss novel therapeutic strategies targeting the epigenome and immunome.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on epigenetics and cancer immunology.
  • Analysis of epigenetic mechanisms affecting immune checkpoint regulators.
  • Examination of epigenetic inheritance mechanisms in immune checkpoint regulation.

Main Results:

  • Epigenetic modifiers can reactivate silenced genes, including immune checkpoint regulators.
  • Epigenetic regulation plays a critical role in immune checkpoint function, influencing immune responses.
  • Specific epigenetic mechanisms like histone modifications and noncoding RNA are involved.

Conclusions:

  • The interaction between epigenetic and immune modulation presents promising avenues for cancer treatment.
  • Epigenome/immunome-targeted therapies offer a specific approach to cancer treatment.
  • Understanding these interactions is key to developing effective immunotherapies.
Keywords:
acetylationcancerepigeneticsimmune checkpointlncRNAmethylationmiRNA

More Related Videos

Experimental Melanoma Immunotherapy Model Using Tumor Vaccination with a Hematopoietic Cytokine09:15

Experimental Melanoma Immunotherapy Model Using Tumor Vaccination with a Hematopoietic Cytokine

Published on: February 24, 2023

4.1K
Tumor Transplantation for Assessing the Dynamics of Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells in Mice07:36

Tumor Transplantation for Assessing the Dynamics of Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells in Mice

Published on: June 12, 2021

7.8K

Related Concept Videos

Epigenetic Regulation01:37

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
4.0K
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
34.1K
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
2.1K
Receptor Downregulation in MVBs01:15

Receptor Downregulation in MVBs

Multivesicular bodies (MVBs) are mature endosomes that sort ubiquitinated proteins and then fuse with lysosomes to degrade the sorted proteins. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) form a complex that can be internalized through endocytosis, sorted into an MVB, and later degraded.
The EGFR can initiate signaling pathways that  lead to cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Overexpression of EGFR  stimulates cells to proliferate. Excessive  EGFR...
2.9K
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
8.3K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
5.0K