Tuning tumor-specific T-cell activation: a matter of costimulation?

The stimulation of a specific antitumor immune response, involving the recruitment of T cells and induction of T-cell effector functions, is an attractive possibility for cancer immunotherapy. In the past few years, advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of T-cell activation and costimulation have provided the basis for strategies to enhance antitumor immunity and break tolerance. These strategies include the equipment of tumor cells with costimulatory molecules such as B7, blockade of inhibitory signals on T cells (e.g. through cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4) and grafting of T cells with antigen-triggered, recombinant costimulatory receptors. Combining antigen-triggered activation with appropriate costimulatory pathways will lead to novel approaches to improve the efficacy of T-cell-mediated adoptive immunotherapy of malignant diseases.