| Cancer cells apply various mechanisms to induce and enhance immune escape. The
complex network of immune-response modulating factors in the tumor microenvironment is a reason
for the difficulties encountered when attempting to treat many cancers. Adenosine is a potent immunemodulating
factor that can be generated through the degradation of ATP by cooperative action of
NTPDase1 (CD39) and ecto-5ʹ-nucleotidase (CD73) molecules. Overexpression of CD73 on tumor and
immune cells leads to the presence of a high concentration of this factor in the tumor region.
Upregulation of CD73 is associated with the overproduction of adenosine; it suppresses antitumor
immune responses and helps proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis.
Areas covered: We attempt to clarify the immunobiology of CD73 in association with its role in cancer
development, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Moreover, we have reviewed CD73-targeting studies and
highlighted CD73 as a potent target for cancer immunotherapy.
Expert opinion: It seems that blockade of CD73, in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors
such as anti-PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4, can be a novel promising therapeutic strategy that can be
evaluated in the future trials. |