{
  "abstract": "The immune checkpoint protein PD-L1 plays a pivotal role in tumor immune evasion by binding to PD-1 on immune cells, including T lymphocytes. While the expression and function of PD-L1 have been well studied, the importance of its spatial organization on the cell surface of tumor cells remains poorly understood. In this study, we used super-resolution microscopy combined with biochemical perturbations to investigate the factors regulating PD-L1 clustering and its effects on PD-1 binding and T cell inhibition. We found that PD-L1 is organized into nanoscale clusters at the plasma membrane, with distinct regulatory roles for the actin cytoskeleton, galectin-3, and cholesterol. Disruption of cortical actin increased PD-L1 cluster size, while galectin-3 promoted smaller, denser clusters and increased PD-L1 lateral mobility. Cholesterol depletion reduced PD-L1 cluster size and number and impaired PD-1 binding. These findings indicate that PD-L1 surface organization is collectively regulated by the actin cytoskeleton, galectin-3, and membrane cholesterol within the plasma membrane of tumour cells. Our results provide new insights into the dynamic regulation of PD-L1 and its potential as a therapeutic target in cancer immunotherapy.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "G. A. Franken"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. B. Arp"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Cerina"
    },
    {
      "name": "V. M. R. van Esch"
    },
    {
      "name": "B. Scheijen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "A. B. van Spriel"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1mc4kskq1vn9t.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.08.31.748200",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.31.748200v1.full",
  "id": "1mc4kskq1vn9t",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.31.748200v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "cancer biology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2730|Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204760895",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.31.748200v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-08-31",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1mc4kskq1vn9t.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:35Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.08.31.748200",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.31.748200v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "biorxiv:cancer biology",
      "subfield": "oncology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Multiple mechanisms regulate the nanoscale organization of PD-L1 at the cell surface",
  "title_text": "Multiple mechanisms regulate the nanoscale organization of PD-L1 at the cell surface",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:35Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1mc4kskq1vn9t",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}