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Updated: Nov 15, 2025

Tumor Transplantation for Assessing the Dynamics of Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells in Mice
Published on: June 12, 2021
The tumor microenvironment shapes the molecular characteristics of exhausted CD8+ T cells
Hongcheng Cheng1, Kaili Ma2, Lianjun Zhang2
1Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China; Center for Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100005, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology Regulatory Element, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
The persistent antigen stimulation during chronic infections and cancer results in CD8+ T cell exhaustion. The exhausted T (Tex) cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) are characterized by increased expression of multiple co-inhibitory receptors simultaneously, progressive loss of effector function, poor proliferation and self-renewal capacity, and dysregulated metabolic activity. Emerging insights into molecular mechanisms underlying T cell exhaustion have proposed potential approaches to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy via restoring the effector function of Tex cells. In this review, we summarize the fundamental characteristics (e.g., inhibitory receptors and transcriptional factors) regarding Tex cell differentiation and discuss in particular how those exhaustion features are acquired and shaped by key factors within the TME. Additionally, we discuss the progress and limitations of current cancer immunotherapeutic strategies targeting Tex cells in clinical setting.
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