Wculek and Cueto et al. review the functional and phenotypic differences among DC subsets – plasmacytoid DCs, cDC1s, cDC2s, and monocyte-derived DCs – and how each contributes to antitumor immunity and/or tumor tolerance. DCs modulate and are modulated by the TME and standard-of-care therapies; therapies that boost the activation and mobilization of DCs to induce T cell-mediated antitumor immunity are actively pursued in clinical trials. Because DCs are involved in mediating a systemic antitumor response, future strategies may involve combinations of DC vaccines with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other immunotherapies.
Dendritic cells (DCs) are a diverse group of specialized antigen-presenting cells with key roles in the initiation and regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses. As such, there is currently much interest in modulating DC function to improve cancer immunotherapy. Many strategies have been developed to target DCs in cancer, such as the administration of antigens with immunomodulators that mobilize and activate endogenous DCs, as well as the generation of DC-based vaccines. A better understanding of the diversity and functions of DC subsets and of how these are shaped by the tumour microenvironment could lead to improved therapies for cancer. Here we will outline how different DC subsets influence immunity and tolerance in cancer settings and discuss the implications for both established cancer treatments and novel immunotherapy strategies.
Author Info: (1) Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain. (2) Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasc
Author Info: (1) Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain. (2) Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain. (3) Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Immunology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA. (4) Division of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. University Clinic, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red Cancer, Madrid, Spain. (5) Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. (6) Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain. dsancho@cnic.es.
