Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.9
5.2
Journals
Vaccines
Special Issues
Dendritic Cells (DCs) and Cancer Immunotherapy
share announcement

Dendritic Cells (DCs) and Cancer Immunotherapy

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 4302

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Aimin Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Center for Cutaneous Biology and Immunology Research, Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA
2. Immunology Research Program, Henry Ford Cancer Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA
Interests: dendritic cell vaccine; cancer immunotherapy; tumor immunity; cross-presentation; CD8 T cell immunity; exosomes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells (APC) that efficiently cross-present tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and prime tumor antigen-specific CD8 T cells to control tumors. This specific functionality of DCs makes the DC-based vaccines one of the leading strategies for cancer immunotherapy. However, tumors often promote the tolerogenic function of host DCs to suppress anti-tumor immunity, limiting the success of the DC-based cancer vaccines.

There are several obstacles in the success of DC vaccines, i.e., tumor-mediated immunosuppression and the functional limitations of in vitro differentiated DCs. DC-derived exosomes have been considered as an alternative to cell-free therapeutic vaccines. In vivo DC-targeted vaccines and the use of naturally circulating blood DCs also offer promising alternatives to in vitro cultured DCs. There are critical gaps in our understanding of even the basic biology of these approaches, such as how DCexos and different subsets of DCs prime T cells, thus hindering their translation into clinical applications. Similarly, there is a need for a better understanding of how DCs interact with other DCs, B cells, and NK cells to fully unleash the potential of the DC-based vaccines.

This Special Issue on developing cancer vaccines welcomes new research articles and reviews on all aspects of dendritic cells and their roles in vaccine development and cancer immunotherapy.

Dr. Aimin Jiang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dendritic cell vaccine
  • cancer immunotherapy
  • immune checkpoint blockade
  • tumor immunity
  • CD8 T cell immunity
  • exosomes

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

17 pages, 4059 KiB  
Article
β-Catenin in Dendritic Cells Negatively Regulates CD8 T Cell Immune Responses through the Immune Checkpoint Molecule Tim-3
by Chunmei Fu, Jie Wang, Tianle Ma, Congcong Yin, Li Zhou, Björn E. Clausen, Qing-Sheng Mi and Aimin Jiang
Vaccines 2024, 12(5), 460; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12050460 - 25 Apr 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2513
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated that β-catenin in dendritic cells (DCs) serves as a key mediator in promoting both CD4 and CD8 T cell tolerance, although the mechanisms underlying how β-catenin exerts its functions remain incompletely understood. Here, we report that activation of β-catenin [...] Read more.
Recent studies have demonstrated that β-catenin in dendritic cells (DCs) serves as a key mediator in promoting both CD4 and CD8 T cell tolerance, although the mechanisms underlying how β-catenin exerts its functions remain incompletely understood. Here, we report that activation of β-catenin leads to the up-regulation of inhibitory molecule T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (Tim-3) in type 1 conventional DCs (cDC1s). Using a cDC1-targeted vaccine model with anti-DEC-205 engineered to express the melanoma antigen human gp100 (anti-DEC-205-hgp100), we demonstrated that CD11c-β-cateninactive mice exhibited impaired cross-priming and memory responses of gp100-specific CD8 T (Pmel-1) cells upon immunization with anti-DEC-205-hgp100. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis revealed that β-catenin in DCs negatively regulated transcription programs for effector function and proliferation of primed Pmel-1 cells, correlating with suppressed CD8 T cell immunity in CD11c-β-cateninactive mice. Further experiments showed that treating CD11c-β-cateninactive mice with an anti-Tim-3 antibody upon anti-DEC-205-hgp100 vaccination led to restored cross-priming and memory responses of gp100-specific CD8 T cells, suggesting that anti-Tim-3 treatment likely synergizes with DC vaccines to improve their efficacy. Indeed, treating B16F10-bearing mice with DC vaccines using anti-DEC-205-hgp100 in combination with anti-Tim-3 treatment resulted in significantly reduced tumor growth compared with treatment with the DC vaccine alone. Taken together, we identified the β-catenin/Tim-3 axis as a potentially novel mechanism to inhibit anti-tumor CD8 T cell immunity and that combination immunotherapy of a DC-targeted vaccine with anti-Tim-3 treatment leads to improved anti-tumor efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendritic Cells (DCs) and Cancer Immunotherapy)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

23 pages, 1347 KiB  
Review
Harnessing Dendritic Cell Function in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Advances in Immunotherapy and Therapeutic Strategies
by Shiding Ying, Haiyan Liu, Yongliang Zhang and Yu Mei
Vaccines 2025, 13(5), 496; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13050496 (registering DOI) - 4 May 2025
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Conventional therapies are frequently limited by tumor heterogeneity and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Dendritic cells (DCs), central to orchestrating antitumor immunity, have become key targets for HCC immunotherapy. This review examines [...] Read more.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Conventional therapies are frequently limited by tumor heterogeneity and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Dendritic cells (DCs), central to orchestrating antitumor immunity, have become key targets for HCC immunotherapy. This review examines the biological functions of DC subsets (cDC1, cDC2, pDC, and moDC) and their roles in initiating and modulating immune responses against HCC. We detail the mechanisms underlying DC impairment within the TME, including suppression by regulatory T cells (Tregs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Additionally, we discuss novel DC-based therapeutic strategies, such as DC-based vaccines designed to enhance antigen presentation and T cell activation. Combining DC vaccines with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 blockers, demonstrates synergistic effects that can overcome immune evasion and improve clinical outcomes. Despite progress, challenges related to DC subset heterogeneity, TME complexity, and patient variability require the further optimization and personalization of DC-based therapies. Future research should focus on refining these strategies, leveraging advanced technologies like genomic profiling and artificial intelligence, to maximize therapeutic efficacy and revolutionize HCC treatment. By restoring DC function and reprogramming the TME, DC-based immunotherapy holds immense potential to transform the management of HCC and improve patient survival. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendritic Cells (DCs) and Cancer Immunotherapy)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

16 pages, 2872 KiB  
Protocol
Multiparameter Flow Cytometric Analysis of the Conventional and Monocyte-Derived DC Compartment in the Murine Spleen
by Ronald A. Backer, Hans Christian Probst and Björn E. Clausen
Vaccines 2024, 12(11), 1294; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12111294 - 19 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1184
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are present in almost all tissues, where they act as sentinels involved in innate recognition and the initiation of adaptive immune responses. The DC family consists of several cell lineages that are heterogenous in their development, phenotype, and function. Within [...] Read more.
Dendritic cells (DCs) are present in almost all tissues, where they act as sentinels involved in innate recognition and the initiation of adaptive immune responses. The DC family consists of several cell lineages that are heterogenous in their development, phenotype, and function. Within these DC lineages, further subdivisions exist, resulting in smaller, less characterized subpopulations, each with its unique immunomodulatory capabilities. Given the interest in utilizing DC for experimental studies and for vaccination purposes, it becomes increasingly crucial to thoroughly classify and characterize these diverse DC subpopulations. This understanding is vital for comprehending their relative contribution to the initiation, regulation, and propagation of immune responses. To facilitate such investigation, we here provide an easy and ready-to-use multicolor flow cytometry staining panel for the analysis of conventional DC, plasmacytoid DC, and monocyte-derived DC populations isolated from mouse spleens. This adaptable panel can be easily customized for the analysis of other tissue-specific DC populations, providing a valuable tool for DC research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dendritic Cells (DCs) and Cancer Immunotherapy)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop