Costimulation of T cells for tumor immunity

Tumor specific antigens can be demonstrated on many neoplasms by immunization and challenge experiments; however, these antigens do not normally elicit a sufficiently strong immune response to prevent tumor growth in immunocompetent hosts. Recent studies have demonstrated that efficient activation of T cells requires costimulation of the CD28 receptor via the B7 molecule on antigen-presenting cells. Inadequate costimulation of tumor-reactive T cells may contribute to the fact that antigenic tumors are not normally rejected by the immune system, and weak anti-tumor immune responses may be amplified by upregulation of CD28 triggering.