Overview Of Dendritic Cell Vaccines For Brain Tumors

Of the various forms of immunotherapy dendritic cell dc based therapies are well situated to be used to induce antitumor immunity given the specialized ability of dcs to both prime and or boost innate and adaptive immune responses.

Overview of dendritic cell vaccines for brain tumors.

That being said once inside the cns the action of the immune system and the potential for antitumor response is markedly different from other sites in the body. Dendritic cells guide the response of t cells to fight off invaders. Tumor cells however hijack the immune system causing t cell exhaustion and dc dysfunction. Dendritic cells dcs are essential in immunity owing to their role in activating t cells thereby promoting antitumor responses.

Dc based immunotherapy is safe and can promote antitumor immune responses and prolonged survival of cancer patients. Additionally in the presence of a tumor there can be significant blood brain barrier breakdown as well as tumor infiltrating dendritic cells macrophages and b and t lymphocytes. This new vaccine approach focuses on dendritic cells which brody calls the generals of the immune system s army. Dc vaccine has been introduced as a new therapeutic strategy in cancer patients.

This is combined with dendritic immune cells from the person s blood. Dendritic cells dcs are powerful antigen presenting cells for the induction of antigen specific t cell response. Gliomas typically arise from two different cell types in the brain astrocytes or oligodendrocytes. 4 clinical trials underway have demonstrated the successful application of dc vaccines to induce antitumor.

However this treatment fails to show clinical benefit in many patients. Tumor induced t cell exhaustion may be reversed through immune checkpoint blockade icb.