Abstract
During the last decade, a succession of studies revealed unexpected new cell subtypes designated as innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), “innate” owing to their absence of rearranged antigen-specific receptors, and “lymphoid” by virtue of sharing the morphology of lymphoid cells. Based on transcription factors, function, and development trajectories, ILCs were recently categorized into 5 distinct subsets: NK cells, ILC1s, ILC2s, ILC3s, and LTi cells. Given the more comprehensive understanding of NK cells and LTi, our focus here solely centers on the helper ILCs: ILC1s, ILC2s, and ILC3s.
Recently, helper ILCs have gained attention as significant players in cancer immunology. As tissue-resident lymphocytes, they are present in numerous tumor locations and are capable of sensing and rapidly responding to cancer-related signals, positioning them as the first responders within the tumor microenvironment. Several recent studies aimed to dissect the role of helper ILCs in a wide variety of cancers. However, these cells often present a dual role in the tumor microenvironment, underscoring the complexity of ILC function in cancer immunity.
This book chapter describes the function and characteristics of the helper ILCs, focusing on their dichotomous nature in cancer. The aim is to shed light on the conditions under which these cells exhibit potent anti-tumor activities, while examining the circumstances that drive their pro-tumor activities. Furthermore, here we highlight key pathways that modulate the ILC response to cancer, serving as a roadmap for unlocking novel avenues in cancer immunotherapy.
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References
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Sousa, L.M., Tralhão, J.G., Ferreira, M., Rodrigues-Santos, P. (2024). Innate Lymphoid Cells in Cancer: Immunobiology and Immunotherapy. In: Interdisciplinary Cancer Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/16833_2024_368
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