Researchers from RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences Discuss Research in Immunology (Dissociation of LAG-3 inhibitory cluster from TCR microcluster by immune checkpoint blockade).

Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences in Yokohama, Japan, have conducted a study on the inhibitory co-receptor lymphocyte activation gene (Lag)-3 and its role in immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy for cancer. The study found that Lag-3 forms clusters and co-localizes with T-cell receptor microclusters (TCR-MC) upon T-cell activation. Lag-3 blocking antibodies were found to inhibit the co-localization between Lag-3 and TCR-MC, suggesting that the Lag-3 inhibitory signal is blocked by dissociating the co-assembly of TCR-MC and Lag-3 clusters. The research concludes that Lag-3 inhibits T-cell activation at TCR-MC, and the target of Lag-3 ICI is to dissociate the co-localization of Lag-3 with TCR-MC. [Extracted from the article]