Abstract:
Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) that elicit anti-tumor immunity. DCs efficiently process and present antigens to T cells and link innate and adaptive immunity. Conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1) are superior in antigen cross-presentation, a process of presenting exogenous antigens on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I to activate CD8
+ T cells. Recent published literature has demonstrated that potential crosstalk between DC subsets can significantly alter biological outcomes, and that these DC interactions may contribute significantly to tumor-specific immune responses. Here, we discuss recent advances in understanding DC subset interactions to maximize anti-tumor immunity and propose that such interactions be considered for the development of improved DC-targeted immunotherapies.