The medical black technology system of the top student

Immune checkpoint blockade therapy!

There are a large number of immune checkpoints in the human body, and these immune checkpoints can regulate the killing of T lymphocytes.

When immune checkpoint proteins are activated, they can inhibit the killing of T lymphocytes.

Tumor cells activate these immune checkpoints by secreting some receptor proteins, thereby inhibiting the function of T lymphocytes and achieving the purpose of detection and attack by the immune system.

If the activation of immune checkpoints can be blocked, the pathway can be effectively blocked and tumor cells can be effectively killed.

Therefore, this type of immunotherapy is also called immune checkpoint blockade therapy.

After listening to Lu Liang's thoughts, Ji Hong pondered for a moment, and then slowly said: "Xiao Lu, why don't you change the direction."

"Why, teacher?" Lu Liang asked in confusion.

Ji Hong sighed. He didn't want to hit Lu Liang. On the contrary, he just didn't want to see Lu Liang take detours.

In other words, he didn't want to see Lu Liang take the detour he had taken before, wasting time on a method that was destined to not work.

Ji Hong opened his mouth and replied: "I once had the same idea as you. I thought that all types of genetic mutations in lung cancer should be solved through immune checkpoint blockade therapy."

"But later it was discovered that immune checkpoint blockade therapy has a very good effect on lung cancer cells with mutations caused by smoking, but has a mediocre effect on lung cancer cells with other mutations."

"In other words, immune checkpoint blockade therapy can only be effective on a few types of genetic mutations, and cannot cover all types of genetic mutations."

After hearing Ji Hong's words, Lu Liang fell into thinking for a while.

Lu Liang did not expect that Ji Hong would give him such an answer.

After a long time, Lu Liang said: "Teacher, actually I think immune checkpoint blockade treatment is very promising, and I hope to try it."

After seeing Lu Liang's attitude, Ji Hong couldn't help but sigh.

In his opinion, Lu Liang was good at everything, but his personality was a bit too stubborn. Once he decided to do something, no one could stop him.

However, Ji Hong could understand.

After all, I finally found a direction, but before I even started doing it, someone poured cold water on me.

Anyone who puts this kind of thing on will be more or less dissatisfied.

So, Ji Hong said: "Let's do this, Xiao Lu, you go and look through the documents in recent years."

"There have been a lot of studies on immune checkpoint blockade therapy in recent years. You should take a look at their results first, and then decide for yourself whether to continue."

Ji Hong originally thought that after he said these words, Lu Liang would think about it again.

But what I never expected was that Lu Liang said: "Teacher, I have actually read all the documents you mentioned, including the papers you published."

Ji Hong has also done many experiments in immune checkpoint blockade therapy.

This surprised Ji Hong slightly: "Xiao Lu, since you have already seen it and know that these methods will not work, why do you still have to do it?"

In Ji Hong's view, if you still do something even though you know it will fail, isn't this just looking for trouble?

Lu Liang scratched his head: "But most of those studies were based on blocking the immune checkpoint PD-1."

Ji Hong was a little confused: "Isn't this normal? The immune checkpoint PD-1 is the most effective immune checkpoint found in current research. Is there any other immune checkpoint that is more effective than PD-1?"

When he said this, Ji Hong suddenly paused.

The reason why he had previously dissuaded Lu Liang from wasting time on this experiment was because he took it for granted that Lu Liang would start with the immune checkpoint PD-1.

Trying to block PD-1 and regulate the killing power of T lymphocytes to kill lung cancer cells.

This will only have an effect on some lung cancer cells. There are still lung cancer cells with other types of genetic mutations that can activate other immune checkpoints through other means, thereby evading T lymphocyte killing.

But now, he suddenly realized a possibility.

That is, Lu Liang is not planning to start with the immune checkpoint PD-1, but with other brand-new immune checkpoints.

And if we start with other immune checkpoints, the final results will naturally be quite different.

Thinking of this, Ji Hong's Adam's apple rolled involuntarily.

"Xiao Lu, have you found an immune checkpoint that is more effective than PD-1?" Ji Hong asked in an almost trembling voice.

Regarding Ji Hong's question, Lu Liang couldn't give a definite answer for a while. He could only say: "I'm not sure yet, so I want to give it a try."

What Lu Liang didn't know was how much his answer shocked Ji Hong.

The moment he heard Lu Liang's words, Ji Hong felt his heartbeat suddenly skip a beat.

No, is there really one?

Such an idea appeared in Ji Hong's mind almost subconsciously.

After coming back to his senses, Ji Hong asked almost subconsciously: "Xiao Lu, which immune checkpoint is that immune checkpoint you mentioned?"

"TIGIT."

Lu Liang replied.

TIGIT, T cell immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine inhibitory motif domain.

Like PD-1, it is a protein that exists on the surface of certain immune cells.

TIGIT is mainly expressed on the surface of activated CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells, natural killer cells, regulatory T cells and follicular helper T cells.

Many tumor cells activate the TIGIT immune checkpoint and weaken the immune system's killing force, thereby achieving escape.

After understanding the function of TIGIT's immune checkpoint, Ji Hong couldn't help but frowned.

But unexpectedly, after thinking about it, Ji Hong didn't show much excitement. On the contrary, he had a worried expression on his face.

"Xiao Lu, although your idea is very novel, I feel that even by blocking the TIGIT immune checkpoint, all types of lung cancer cannot be treated."

Ji Hong said in a hoarse voice.

This is not Ji Hong's attack on people, this is his inference based on experience.

No matter how great the regulatory effect of TIGIT on immune cells is, it has a limit.

Just like people, their limits are there. No matter how much you take drugs and hormones, it will only bring you closer to the limit, but you are destined to be unable to break through the limit.

As for Ji Hong's question, Lu Liang didn't have much surprise on his face. He seemed to have already expected this question.

Lu Liang said lightly: "Teacher, what if the two immune checkpoints of PD-1 and TIGIT are blocked at the same time?"

This sentence made Ji Hong stunned.

Wait, what if two immune checkpoints are blocked at the same time?

Ji Hong's breathing suddenly became rapid.

Maybe it can actually work.