Our study suggested that T cells may maintain their immune capacity under high-stress conditions by inhibiting CTLA-4–mediated apoptosis, which helps us to understand that CTLA-4 inhibitors such as ipilimumab function not only as terminators of CTLA-4 immune checkpoint signaling but also as coordinators for maintaining the immune capacity of T cells, which is clinically important for patients with tumors who are receiving immunotherapy combined with conventional cancer therapies. The gene discussed is CTLA4; the disease is cancer.