Impaired Function of Dendritic Cells Within the Tumor Microenvironment

Overview

Journal Front Immunol

Specialty Allergy & Immunology

Date 2023 Jul 13

PMID 37441069

Authors

Zhihua Xiao

Ruiqi Wang

Xuyan Wang

Haikui Yang

Jiamei Dong

Xin He

Yang Yang

Jiahao Guo

Jiawen Cui

Zhiling Zhou

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Dendritic cells (DCs), a class of professional antigen-presenting cells, are considered key factors in the initiation and maintenance of anti-tumor immunity due to their powerful ability to present antigen and stimulate T-cell responses. The important role of DCs in controlling tumor growth and mediating potent anti-tumor immunity has been demonstrated in various cancer models. Accordingly, the infiltration of stimulatory DCs positively correlates with the prognosis and response to immunotherapy in a variety of solid tumors. However, accumulating evidence indicates that DCs exhibit a significantly dysfunctional state, ultimately leading to an impaired anti-tumor immune response due to the effects of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Currently, numerous preclinical and clinical studies are exploring immunotherapeutic strategies to better control tumors by restoring or enhancing the activity of DCs in tumors, such as the popular DC-based vaccines. In this review, an overview of the role of DCs in controlling tumor progression is provided, followed by a summary of the current advances in understanding the mechanisms by which the TME affects the normal function of DCs, and concluding with a brief discussion of current strategies for DC-based tumor immunotherapy.

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