G-Quadruplexes in Tumor Immune Regulation: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Prospects in Gastrointestinal Cancers

Abstract

G-quadruplex (G4) is a noncanonical nucleic acid secondary structure self-assembled by guanine-rich sequences. Recent studies have not only revealed the key role of G4 in gene regulation, DNA replication, and telomere maintenance but also showed that it plays a core role in regulating the tumor immune microenvironment. G4 participates in tumor immune escape and the inhibition of immune response by regulating immune checkpoint molecules, cytokine expression, immune cell function, and their interaction network, thus significantly affecting the effect of tumor immunotherapy. This article systematically reviews the molecular mechanism of G4 in tumor immune regulation, especially gastrointestinal tumors, and explores the potential and application prospects of G4-targeted drug strategies in improving anti-tumor immunotherapy.