Division of Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy, Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Istituto Toscano Tumori, Siena, Italy.
Semin Oncol. 2010 Oct;37(5):517-23. doi: 10.1053/j.seminoncol.2010.09.002.
CD40 is a costimulatory molecule widely expressed by immune cells and by neoplastic cells of different histotypes. Engagement of surface CD40 mediates different effects depending on cell type and microenvironment. In particular, CD40 expression on immune cells regulates humoral and cellular immunity, while it has apoptotic and antiproliferative activity on selected neoplastic cells. Thus, CD40 targeting may indirectly affect tumor growth through the activation of immune cells and/or directly by mediating cytotoxic effects on neoplastic cells. Preliminary findings emerging from clinical trials indicate that antibodies to CD40 can induce immune modulation and clinical responses in cancer patients.
CD40 是一种共刺激分子，广泛表达于免疫细胞和不同组织类型的肿瘤细胞表面。表面 CD40 的结合根据细胞类型和微环境的不同而介导不同的效应。特别是，免疫细胞表面的 CD40 表达调节体液和细胞免疫，而在某些肿瘤细胞上则具有凋亡和抗增殖活性。因此，CD40 靶向治疗可通过激活免疫细胞间接影响肿瘤生长，或通过对肿瘤细胞发挥细胞毒性作用而直接影响肿瘤生长。临床试验中的初步研究结果表明，抗 CD40 抗体可诱导癌症患者的免疫调节和临床应答。
