Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40790592›Full record

ReviewMolecular cancer2025

Neurotransmitters: an emerging target for therapeutic resistance to tumor immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Jiyuan Yang, Yu Wu, Xinhui Lv, Sicong Liu, Ziwen Yuan, Yafang Chen, Xiangyu Ding, Zhong Li, Xudong Wang

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Molecular cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
18citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

18 citing papers in PubMed.

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  12. Overcoming resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy in cancer.Cancer drug resistance (Alhambra, Calif.) · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Jiyuan YangDept. of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Yu WuDept. of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Xinhui LvDept. of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Sicong LiuDept. of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Ziwen YuanDept. of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Yafang ChenDept. of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Xiangyu DingDept. of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Zhong LiThe Third People's Hospital of Nantong, Nantong, Jiangsu, China.
Xudong WangDept. of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China. wangxudong88@hotmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The critical role of neurotransmitters in the resistance to tumor immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) is becoming increasingly significant in therapeutic contexts. ICIs work by enhancing antitumor immunity through the blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 pathways. However, only 20% of patients experience durable efficacy, and the challenge of drug resistance limits the clinical application of these therapies. Drug resistance is closely linked to various factors within the tumor microenvironment, including the distribution of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, the function of tumor-associated macrophages, low expression levels of PD-L1, variations in tumor mutational burden, dysregulation of antigen presentation, and both genetic and epigenetic changes in tumor cells. In recent years, the importance of the neural-immune axis has gained attention. Abnormal nerve fiber growth or irregular secretion of neurotransmitters can contribute to immune evasion. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin influence the tumor microenvironment by regulating the expression of immune checkpoints and the function of immune cells, which can promote immune escape. As a result, therapeutic strategies that target neurotransmitters and their receptors hold promise for overcoming resistance to ICIs. These strategies may significantly enhance the efficacy of ICIs and pave the way for new approaches in cancer therapy. This article reviews the relevant mechanisms and proposes potential therapeutic strategies, offering new insights for the field.

Indexed as

Drug Resistance, NeoplasmImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsNeoplasmsNeurotransmitter AgentsAnimalsHumansTumor MicroenvironmentImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsNeurotransmitter AgentsDrug resistanceImmune checkpoint inhibitorsImmunotherapyNeurotransmittersTumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID40790592
PMCPMC12337524

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.