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Description
The aim of the project is to develop a universal molecular probe for the PD-L1 protein (programmed death receptor -1 ligand), which will facilitate the diagnosis of various types of cancer. PD-L1 is a protein present on the surface of many cancer cells, allowing them to bypass the natural defense system of the immune system. One of the components of the immune system are T lymphocytes, which recognize and attack cancer cells. These cells have structures called receptors on their outer surfaces, which act as keys to lock onto the molecules of attacking organisms. This molecular recognition is a major component of the immune response. One of the elements of this mechanism are so-called "checkpoints", which prevent T cells from attacking normal cells. A key part of this mechanism is the PD-L1 / PD-1 system (programmed death protein -1). PD-L1 on normal cells recognizes and attaches to PD-1 on T cells, preventing them from attacking healthy cells. Unfortunately, some cancers have learned to produce large amounts of PD-L1 in order to trick the immune system into avoiding detection. Hence, the designed probes that target PD-L1 binding will be able to detect and locate neoplastic cells at a very early stage of the disease. These probes can be used in early diagnosis, increasing the chances of detecting the disease and starting treatment.