LAG-3 in Cancer Immunotherapy

Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2011:344:269-78. doi: 10.1007/82_2010_114.

Abstract

LAG-3 (CD223) is a cell surface molecule expressed on activated T cells (Huard et al. Immunogenetics 39:213-217, 1994), NK cells (Triebel et al. J Exp Med 171:1393-1405, 1990), B cells (Kisielow et al. Eur J Immunol 35:2081-2088, 2005), and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (Workman et al. J Immunol 182:1885-1891, 2009) that plays an important but incompletely understood role in the function of these lymphocyte subsets. In addition, the interaction between LAG-3 and its major ligand, Class II MHC, is thought to play a role in modulating dendritic cell function (Andreae et al. J Immunol 168:3874-3880, 2002). Recent preclinical studies have documented a role for LAG-3 in CD8 T cell exhaustion (Blackburn et al. Nat Immunol 10:29-37, 2009), and blockade of the LAG-3/Class II interaction using a LAG-3 Ig fusion protein is being evaluated in a number of clinical trials in cancer patients. In this review, we will first discuss the basic structural and functional biology of LAG-3, followed by a review of preclinical and clinical data pertinent to a role for LAG-3 in cancer immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / chemistry
  • Antigens, CD / physiology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Lymphocyte Activation Gene 3 Protein
  • Neoplasms / therapy*

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Lymphocyte Activation Gene 3 Protein
  • soluble LAG-3 protein, human
  • Lag3 protein, human