Physiological Role of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells and Their Potential Use in Cancer Immunity. (3rd November 2008)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schettini, Jorge; Mukherjee, Pinku
• Other Names: Goldman Michel Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Clinical & developmental immunology. Volume 2008(2008)
• Publication Date: 2008-11-03
• Subjects: Developmental immunology -- Periodicals; Clinical immunology -- Periodicals; Immune System -- immunology -- Periodicals; Immune System -- growth & development -- Periodicals; Immune System Diseases -- immunology -- Periodicals; 571.9638
• DOI: 10.1155/2008/106321
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-2522

Abstract

Abstract : Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in the control of innate and adaptive immune responses. They are a heterogeneous cell population, where plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a unique subset capable of secreting high levels of type I IFNs. It has been demonstrated that pDCs can coordinate events during the course of viral infection, atopy, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Therefore, pDC, as a main source of type I IFN, is an attractive target for therapeutic manipulations of the immune system to elicit a powerful immune response against tumor antigens in combination with other therapies. The therapeutic vaccination with antigen-pulsed DCs has shown a limited efficacy to generate an effective long-lasting immune response against tumor cells. A rational manipulation and design of vaccines which could include DC subsets outside "Langerhans cell paradigm" might allow us to improve the therapeutic approaches for cancer patients.