The role of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I in prostate cancer therapy: A review

Cancers such as prostate cancer (PC) disproportionately impact middle-aged men (those between the ages of 45 and 60) and are a significant cause of male death worldwide. In treating PC, immunotherapy has a limited role despite its revolutionary impact on cancer care for many tumor types. Immune evasion, in which tumor cells evade detection and destruction by CD8 + cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), is an essential component in PC growth. Because of this lapse in immune monitoring, cancers can proliferate and disseminate. For CTLs to effectively recognize and eliminate tumor-associated antigens, stable and surface-localized expression of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) is critical. Furthermore, cancer cells often exhibit immune escape mechanisms that attempt to evade T-cell identification, such as reducing or eliminating tumor MHC-I expression. Immunotherapy for cancer, including the use of antibodies that target immunological checkpoint molecules, has a worse chance of success due to tumor immune escape. Another interesting finding is the presence of tumor-infiltrating cells in PC, which indicates that the immune system does not disregard PC. In this review, we reviewed its impact on different types of cancer and the ability of cancer cells to evade the immune system. We provided a brief overview of the MHC-I structure and its essential properties. Additionally, we have explored the function of MHC-I in PC treatment. Finally, we have reviewed emerging approaches to enhance anticancer vaccines and overcome MHC-I-mediated immune evasion in PC.