{"id":2453,"date":"2016-08-16T03:00:37","date_gmt":"2016-08-16T08:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/issels.com\/blog\/?p=2453"},"modified":"2016-08-07T15:38:21","modified_gmt":"2016-08-07T20:38:21","slug":"immune-checkpoint-inhibitors-the-role-they-play-in-cancer-immunotherapy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/issels.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/16\/immune-checkpoint-inhibitors-the-role-they-play-in-cancer-immunotherapy\/","title":{"rendered":"Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors – The Role They Play in Cancer Immunotherapy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Using
Using the Body to Fight Cancer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Immune checkpoint inhibitors<\/a>” is a term increasingly heard in reference to advancements in immunotherapy for cancer<\/a>. These drugs have shown the ability to aid your body’s own immune system in attacking and killing cancer cells.<\/p>\n

Lifting the Disguise from Cancer Cells<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Think of checkpoints as your internal customs agents. Checkpoint proteins help the immune system<\/a> differentiate between normal cells and foreign cells, then trigger a defensive response against the invaders.<\/p>\n

Cancer cells sometimes have larger amounts of proteins than found in normal cells, which provide a camouflage allowing them to grow and divide without interference from the immune system. Checkpoint inhibitors target the appropriate proteins, removing the “mask” so the immune system can do its job.<\/p>\n

Types of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

PD-1, which is found on T-cells, acts as a checkpoint by binding itself to another protein called PD-L1, letting the T-cells know they should leave the other cells alone.<\/p>\n