PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoints: Tumor vs atherosclerotic progression

Immunotherapy has become one of the most attraction cancer therapy strategies. The PD-1/PD-L1 pathway plays key roles in immune responses and autoimmunity by regulating T cell activity. Overactivation of this pathway dampens T cell and immune function, which allows tumor cells immune escape. Antibody or inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 immune targets have been implicated in clinic anti-cancer therapy and gain great clinic outcoming for their high efficiency. However, recent studies showed that the PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in some tumor patients was found to accelerate T cell-driven inflammatory and the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. This article reviews the research progression of PD-1/PD-L1 in tumors and atherosclerosis, and the possible mechanisms of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy increasing the risk of atherosclerotic lesions.