Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal

SLAMF6 Emerges as Novel Immune Checkpoint Target for Cancer Immunotherapy

- Researchers at Université de Montréal have identified SLAMF6 as a novel immune checkpoint molecule that functions autonomously on T cell surfaces to suppress anti-tumor immunity. - Unlike PD-1 and CTLA-4, SLAMF6 operates through cis homotypic interactions on T cells themselves, accelerating T cell exhaustion independently of tumor cell interactions. - Monoclonal antibodies targeting SLAMF6 demonstrated enhanced T cell activation and tumor growth suppression in preclinical models, offering potential for patients resistant to current checkpoint inhibitors. - The discovery represents a paradigm shift toward addressing intrinsic immune regulatory checkpoints and may enable combination therapies that surpass current immunotherapy limitations.