Immune Checkpoints in Leukaemia as Gatekeepers of Immuno-Modulation

Immune evasion remains one of the key hallmarks in cancer survival by which tumours avoid immune system response. Mechanism of immune evasion involved modulation of immune related cytokines, modulation of tumour microenvironment and immune checkpoints. Intrinsic workings of these mechanisms lead to a network of 'on' and 'off' switches which could modulate immune activity. Interestingly in leukaemia, a complex network is involved as immune masking occurred concomitantly with leukaemogenesis within the same microenvironment, which makes immune evasion a more elusive hallmark for this disease. Dysregulation of these mechanisms not only facilitates disease persistence and progression but also contributes to resistance against conventional therapies. Therefore, understanding the role of leukaemic immune checkpoints is essential for identifying novel therapeutic targets and improving the efficacy of immunomodulatory treatment strategies. Here, we focus on the leukaemic immune checkpoints as these consist of crucial surface molecules, receptors, ligands, and immunosuppressive cells which interact within the tumour environment to enable leukaemia to elude immune response.