The programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) pathway has received considerable attention due to its role in eliciting the immune checkpoint response of T cells, resulting in tumor cells capable of evading immune surveillance and being highly refractory to conventional chemotherapy. Application of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies as checkpoint inhibitors is rapidly becoming a promising therapeutic approach in treating tumors, and some of them have successfully been commercialized in the past few years. However, not all patients show complete responses and adverse events have been noted, suggesting a better understanding of PD-1 pathway mediated immunosuppression is needed to predict patient response and improve treatment efficacy. Here, we review the progresses on the studies of the mechanistic role of PD-1 pathway in the tumor immune evasion, recent clinical development and commercialization of PD-1 pathway inhibitors, the toxicities associated with PD-1 blockade observed in clinical trials as well as how to improve therapeutic efficacy and safety of cancer immunotherapy.

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a subset of heterogeneous non-hematopoietic fibroblast-like cells that can differentiate into cells of multiple lineages, such as chondrocytes, osteoblasts, adipocytes, myoblasts, and others. These multipotent MSCs can be found in nearly all tissues but mostly located in perivascular niches, playing a significant role in tissue repair and regeneration. Additionally, MSCs interact with immune cells both in innate and adaptive immune systems, modulating immune responses and enabling immunosuppression and tolerance induction. Understanding the biology of MSCs and their roles in clinical treatment is crucial for developing MSC-based cellular therapy for a variety of pathological conditions. Here, we review the progress in the study on the mechanisms underlying the immunomodulatory and regenerative effects of MSCs; update the medical translation of MSCs, focusing on the registration trials leading to regulatory approvals; and discuss how to improve therapeutic efficacy and safety of MSC applications for future.