Yining Guo,1,2 Xudong Wang,2 Chen Zhang,2 Weiwu Chen,2 Yutian Fu,2 Yanlan Yu,2 Yicheng Chen,2 Tiejuan Shao,1 Jie Zhang,2 Guoqing Ding2,3 

1College of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Urology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, People’s Republic of China; 3National Engineering Research Center of Innovation and Application of Minimally Invasive Instruments, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310028, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Jie Zhang, Department of Urology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, People’s Republic of China, Email 3319019@zju.edu.cn Guoqing Ding, Department of Urology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, People’s Republic of China, Email 3196014@zju.edu.cn

Abstract: B7-H3 (CD276) is an immune checkpoint from the B7 family of molecules and is abnormally expressed in tumor cells as a co-inhibitory molecule to promote tumor progression. Within the tumor microenvironment (TME), B7-H3 promotes tumor progression by impairing the T cell response, driving the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) to M2 phenotype, and inhibiting the function of other immune cells. In addition, B7-H3 promotes tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, metabolism disorder, angiogenesis, and resistance to treatment to promote tumor progression through its non-immunological functions. Immunotherapy targeting B7-H3, as well as combinations with other immune checkpoint therapies, have shown certain efficacy. In this review, we synthesizes the expression of B7-H3 and its mechanism to promote tumor progression through inducing immunomodulation and non-immunological functions, as well as its role of B7-H3 in tumor therapy, aiming to provide a reference for the clinical treatment of tumors.

Keywords: tumor, B7-H3 (CD276), immune checkpoint, tumor immunotherapy, tumor microenvironment