Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has an extremely poor prognosis and is one of the most common
malignancies worldwide. Immune checkpoint suppression has become the most effective treatment option for
liver cancer. The strategies used for
immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting
cancer therapies have been affected by some significant successes, including blocking the advanced-stage malignant
tumor by death
protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death
ligand (PDL-1), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA4) pathways. T cell immunoreceptor with
immunoglobulin and ITIM domains (TIGIT) is an immune checkpoint that participates in
tumor immune surveillance. Mainly expressed on T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and other antigen-presenting cells (APCs), it diminishes
cytokine production and exhibits strong suppressive properties. TIGIT achieves a more active antitumor immune response and highlights a pivotal role for
cancer immunotherapy. Preclinical studies have found inhibitory effects using a targeted approach. Monotherapy targeting TIGIT or in combination with anti-PD-1/PD-L1
monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of patients with advanced solid
malignancies have demonstrated improved antitumor immune responses. Due to the high
tumor heterogeneity of
liver cancer, immune checkpoint suppression
therapy still needs further exploration. Therefore, we provide insights into the characteristics of TIGIT and the immune system in HCC.