Dendritic cells in cancer immunotherapy: functional barriers, reprogramming strategies and translational challenges

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Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial for effective antigen presentation and T cell activation in cancer immunotherapy.
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APC function is often impaired in the tumor microenvironment, limiting effective antitumor immunity.
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Current therapeutic strategies include DC vaccines, mRNA platforms, and innate immune agonists to restore APC function.
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APC dysfunction is a primary barrier to productive antitumor immune responses, not a secondary detail.
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Future APC-based immunotherapy should focus on integrated immune remodeling and rational combinations with other treatments.

Frontiers In Immunology

by Ningping Xiao, Chao Chen, Xiuyu Yang, Jiajia Hao, Mian Xie, Jiangtao Wang, Jiayu Xiang, Chang Liu, Xiulin Jiang, Siwei Huang, Zijia Wang, Yi Jin
July 3, 2026

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