Mounting evidence supports the role of ectonucleotidases, especially ENTPD1/CD39 and CD73, in the control of several inflammatory conditions, ranging from infectious disease, organ fibrosis to oncogenesis.
In this review, we will discuss the specific role of CD73 on both tumor cells and nontumor cells in regulating tumor immunity and tumorigenesis and provide an update on the current view of the antitumor activity of targeting CD73 by mAb or small molecule selective inhibitors in preclinical and clinical settings.
Furthermore, functional inhibition of CD73 via either a chemical compound or a neutralizing antibody reduced sphere formation and tumorigenesis, highlighting the druggability of CD73 in the context of OCIC-directed therapies.