Explain general principles of tumor cell evasion of immune destruction.
Answer:
Tumor cells evade immune destruction through various mechanisms, including:
Immune checkpoint inhibition: They upregulate immune checkpoints, such as PD-1 and CTLA-4, to evade recognition and destruction by T cells.
Suppression of dendritic cells: These cells secrete factors that suppress the function of dendritic cells, which are important for presenting antigens to T cells and initiating an immune response.
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Tumor-associated macrophage recruitment: The tumor cells recruit macrophages to the tumor microenvironment, which produce factors that suppress T cell activity.
Loss of MHC expression: These cells can downregulate or lose expression of MHC molecules, which are required for antigen presentation and T cell recognition.
Production of immunosuppressive cytokines: Tumor cells secrete cytokines that suppress the function of T cells and other immune cells, reducing the effectiveness of the immune response.