Crosstalk between the PD-1: PD-L Pathway and the Microbiome

Primary Researchers:

Arlene Sharpe

Principal Investigator: Arlene Sharpe, Harvard Medical School

Project Summary

Our goal is to define interactions between the microbiome and the PD-1 pathway. The PD-1 pathway has become an important therapeutic target in multiple cancers. Blocking the interaction of PD-1 with its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, leads to impressive anti-tumor responses and clinical benefit in a subset of patients. The community of microbes that inhabit the body, the microbiota, can influence the effectiveness of PD-1 cancer immunotherapies by regulating immune responses. A mechanistic understanding of the crosstalk between the microbiota and the PD-1 pathway has the potential to identify new approaches to increase the benefit of PD-1 cancer therapy and novel therapeutic targets for cancer, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases.