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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Tractable In Vivo Reprogramming of Tumor Cells to Type 1 Conventional Dendritic Cell-like Cells
Published on: August 1, 2025
Dendritic cells program non-immunogenic prostate-specific T cell responses beginning at early stages of prostate
Marianne A Mihalyo1, Adam T Hagymasi, Aaron M Slaiby
1Center for Immunotherapy of Cancer and Infectious Diseases and Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030, USA.
Background:
Prostate cancer promotes the development of T cell tolerance towards prostatic antigens, potentially limiting the efficacy of prostate cancer vaccines targeting these antigens. Here, we sought to determine the stage of disease progression when T cell tolerance develops, as well as the role of steady state dendritic cells (DC) and CD4(+)CD25(+) T regulatory cells (Tregs) in programming tolerance.
Methods:
The response of naïve HA-specific CD4(+) T cells were analyzed following adoptive transfer into Pro-HA x TRAMP transgenic mice harboring variably-staged HA-expressing prostate tumors on two genetic backgrounds that display different patterns and kinetics of tumorigenesis. The role of DC and Tregs in programming HA-specific CD4 cell responses were assessed via depletion.
Results:
HA-specific CD4 cells underwent non-immunogenic responses at all stages of tumorigenesis in both genetic backgrounds. These responses were completely dependent on DC, but not appreciably influenced by Tregs.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that tolerogenicity is an early and general property of prostate tumors.
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