Tumor antigen presentation via dendritic cell activation

Tumor antigen presentation via dendritic cell activation is the critical immunological process whereby dendritic cells—professional antigen-presenting cells—capture, process, and display tumor-derived antigens to naïve T cells, thus triggering the adaptive immune response against cancer. DCs use major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules to present processed tumor antigens; they facilitate the activation and differentiation of both CD8^+^ cytotoxic and CD4^+^ helper T cells. This function is essential for effective cancer immunosurveillance and underlies several modern cancer immunotherapy strategies. The ability of DCs to present tumor antigens and stimulate T cells can be compromised by factors in the tumor microenvironment, which may lead to immune evasion by the tumor. Several therapeutic approaches aim to enhance DC activation or antigen presentation to augment anti-tumor immune responses, including DC-based vaccines and agents that stimulate DC maturation.

Other names

Dendritic cell-mediated tumor antigen presentationDC-mediated tumor antigen processingTumor antigen cross-presentation by dendritic cells

Enhancement of DC activation or maturation; Increase in tumor antigen uptake and cross-presentation; Stimulation of co-stimulatory molecule expression; Promotion of cytokine secretion to support T cell activation