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CD47 blockade as another immune checkpoint therapy for cancer

Nature Medicine volume 21, pages 1122–1123 (2015)Cite this article

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The role of CD47—often expressed on tumor cells—as a 'don't eat me' signal that inhibits macrophage phagocytosis is well established. But new work reveals a major role for other immune cell types—T cells and dendritic cells—in the anti-tumor effects of therapeutic CD47 blockade.

In Hollywood portrayals of a nuclear bunker on high alert, two officers must each turn their key at the same time to authorize a launch. Macrophage attack against cancer seems to involve a similar regulation: phagocytosis requires both the coordinated activation of 'eat me' signals as well as the simultaneous disruption of 'don't eat me' signals1,2. Either event alone is insufficient to trigger a phagocytic chain reaction against cancer.

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Figure 1: The CD47 immune checkpoint.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by US National Institutes of Health grant R01 CA169123.

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  1. Robert H. Vonderheide is at the Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,

    Robert H Vonderheide

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  1. Robert H Vonderheide
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Correspondence to Robert H Vonderheide.

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Vonderheide, R. CD47 blockade as another immune checkpoint therapy for cancer. Nat Med 21, 1122–1123 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3965

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