Characterization and Manipulation of the Crosstalk Between Dendritic and Natural Killer Cells Within the Tumor Microenvironment

Jacobs B, Gebel V, Heger L, Greze V, Schild H, Dudziak D, Ullrich E (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Frontiers in Immunology Frontiers Research Foundation / Frontiers Media

Book Volume: 12

Article Number: 670540

DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.670540

Abstract

Cellular therapy has entered the daily clinical life with the approval of CAR T cell therapeutics and dendritic cell (DCs) vaccines in the US and the EU. In addition, numerous other adoptive cellular products, including natural killer (NK) cells, are currently evaluated in early phase I/ II clinical trials for the treatment of cancer patients. Despite these promising accomplishments, various challenges remain to be mastered in order to ensure sustained therapeutic success. These include the identification of strategies by which tumor cells escape the immune system or establish an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). As part of the innate immune system, DCs and NK cells are both present within the TME of various tumor entities. While NK cells are well known for their intrinsic anti-tumor activity by their cytotoxicity capacities and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the role of DCs within the TME is a double-edged sword as different DC subsets have been described with either tumor-promoting or -inhibiting characteristics. In this review, we will discuss recent findings on the interaction of DCs and NK cells under physiological conditions and within the TME. One focus is the crosstalk of various DC subsets with NK cells and their impact on the progression or inhibition of tumor growth. In addition, we will provide suggestions to overcome the immunosuppressive outcome of the interaction of DCs and NK cells within the TME.

Authors with CRIS profile

Benedikt Jacobs Department of Medicine 5 – Haematology and Oncology Lukas Heger Department of Dermatology Diana Dudziak Professur für die Biologie Dendritischer Zellen

Additional Organisation(s)

Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Klinische Forschung (IZKF)

Related research project(s)

A080: Control of immune responses by inflammasomes in primary dendritic cells Jan. 1, 2020 - Dec. 31, 2022

Involved external institutions

Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main DE Germany (DE) Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Jacobs, B., Gebel, V., Heger, L., Greze, V., Schild, H., Dudziak, D., & Ullrich, E. (2021). Characterization and Manipulation of the Crosstalk Between Dendritic and Natural Killer Cells Within the Tumor Microenvironment. Frontiers in Immunology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.670540

MLA:

Jacobs, Benedikt, et al. "Characterization and Manipulation of the Crosstalk Between Dendritic and Natural Killer Cells Within the Tumor Microenvironment." Frontiers in Immunology 12 (2021).

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