Dendritic cells instruct T cell anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapy response
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GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
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PUBLIC SUMMARY
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T cell-based immunotherapeutic approaches are critically dependent on the cross-presenting dendritic cells.
DC-mediated antigen cross-presentation and DC maturation are pivotal for initiating effective T cell responses.
DC-T cell crosstalk is impaired in the context of cancer and can even be hijacked to facilitate tumor progression.
DC-based immunotherapeutic strategies hold great potential to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.
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ABSTRACT
Dendritic cells (DCs) are a heterogeneous population of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). They play pivotal roles in orchestrating innate and adaptive immune responses, particularly in cancer. In tumor-draining lymph nodes (tdLNs), de novo priming occurs, where DCs present antigens to naive T cells, activating them and initiating their clonal expansion. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), intratumoral DCs provide survival or co-stimulatory signals to shape T cell differentiation. However, the scarcity and dysfunctional states of DCs can greatly limit anti-tumor responses, and DCs can even be hijacked by tumor-related factors to promote tumor progression. Therefore, comprehensively understanding the anti- or pro-tumor activities of DCs is crucial. In this review, we discuss the ontogeny of DC lineages and the emerging complexity of intratumoral DCs states. Importantly, we emphasize the significant roles of DCs in priming and sustaining productive T cell anti-tumor immunity. In light of these findings, we also explore promising approaches for targeting DCs to boost anti-tumor immunity and overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapies. We propose that insights into the rational design of DC-based immunotherapeutic strategies against cancer hold immense, underexploited potential. -
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Xiao Z., Wang J., Yang J., et al. (2025). Dendritic cells instruct T cell anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapy response. The Innovation Medicine 3:100128. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-med.2025.100128
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Xiao Z., Wang J., Yang J., et al. (2025). Dendritic cells instruct T cell anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapy response. The Innovation Medicine 3:100128. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-med.2025.100128
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Figure 1.
Dendritic cell (DCs) lineage and molecular markers
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Figure 2.
Intratumoral DCs characteristics
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Figure 3.
DC prime T cell activation in the tdLN and TME
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Figure 4.
DCs are functionally impaired in the TME
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Figure 5.
Strategies to enhance DC-mediated anti-tumor immunity
