Aim: To review the details of programmed death ligand 1 genes and its biological role. Objective: This review aims at analyzing the clinical significances of programmed death ligand gene 1 in cancers and autoimmunity. Background: Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) also known as cluster of differentiation 274 (CD274) or B7 homolog 1 (B7-H1) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CD274 gene. Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is a 40kDa type 1 transmembrane protein that has been speculated to play a major role in suppressing the immune system during particular events such as pregnancy, tissue allografts, autoimmune disease and other disease states such as hepatitis. Normally the immune system reacts to foreign antigens where there is some accumulation in the lymph nodes or spleen which triggers a proliferation of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Reason: To create awareness about the advantages of PD-L1 gene.
