Serotonin transporter SERT: a novel immune checkpoint for CD8 ⁺ T cell antitumor therapy

This Highlight describes a key observation where serotonin transporter (SERT) was shown to suppress CD8 + T cell antitumor responses via depletion of intratumoral 5-HT. While selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—among the most widely used antidepressants—significantly inhibit tumor growth and enhance T cell-mediated antitumor immunity in both mouse models and human xenografts, showing remarkable synergy with anti-PD-1 therapy. These findings emphasize the importance of intratumoral 5-HT signaling, establish SERT as an immune checkpoint, and identify SSRIs as promising candidates for cancer immunotherapy.