Inhibitory costimulation and anti-tumor immunity

Costimulation was originally shown to be important in T-cell activation and effector differentiation. Recent characterization of B7/butyrophilin and members of the CD28 superfamily has revealed a large number of negative costimulatory molecules that dampen T-cell activation and regulate immune tolerance. Some of these molecules have been shown to be upregulated in the tumor microenvironment and may serve as potential targets for augmenting anti-tumor immunity. In this article, we summarize recent developments in the field of inhibitory costimulation and discuss the future direction of therapeutic manipulation of inhibitory costimulation in tumor immunotherapy.