Fig. 4: The role of Tspan protein family in tumor immunity.
From: Tspan protein family: focusing on the occurrence, progression, and treatment of cancer
During tumor immunity, immune cells migrate from peripheral lymphoid organs to the tumor with the aim of destroying tumor cells, and the Tspan protein family is involved in this process; however, tumors can also undergo immune escape to evade immune surveillance, and tumor cells recruit different types of cells (e.g., Tregs and MDSCs) to create specific tumor microenvironments, and tumor microenvironments are composed of several different cells, including tumor cells and different immune cells, immune cells produce different soluble factors, including cytokines and antibodies, Tspan can produce immune-cell-mediated antitumor or pro-tumor immune effects in the tumor microenvironment.
