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Immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment: a role for dendritic cell-mediated tolerization of T cells

  • Focussed Research Review
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Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Immune suppression remains a consistent obstacle to successful anti-tumor immune responses. As tumors develop, they create a microenvironment that not only supports tumor growth and metastasis but also reduces potential adaptive immunity to tumor antigens. Among the many components of this tumor microenvironment is a population of dendritic cells which exert profound immune suppressive effects on T cells. In this review, we discuss our recent findings related to these tumor-associated dendritic cells and how targeting them may serve to generate more durable anti-tumor immune responses.

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Acknowledgments

The work described in this review was supported in part by the intramural research programs of the NCI, NIH. The authors appreciate the critical review of Dr. Joost Oppenheim.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tumor Immunity and Tolerance Section, Laboratory of Molecular Immunoregulation, Cancer and Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, 211 Building 567, 1050 Boyles Street, NCI-Frederick, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA

    Arthur A. Hurwitz & Stephanie K. Watkins

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  1. Arthur A. Hurwitz
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  2. Stephanie K. Watkins
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arthur A. Hurwitz.

Additional information

This paper is a Focussed Research Review based on a presentation given at the Second International Conference on Cancer Immunotherapy and Immunomonitoring (CITIM 2011), held in Budapest, Hungary, 2nd–5th May 2011. It is part of a CII series of Focussed Research Reviews and meeting report.

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Hurwitz, A.A., Watkins, S.K. Immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment: a role for dendritic cell-mediated tolerization of T cells. Cancer Immunol Immunother 61, 289–293 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-011-1181-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-011-1181-5

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