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Generation of Orthotopic Pancreatic Tumors and Ex vivo Characterization of Tumor-Infiltrating T Cell Cytotoxicity
Published on: December 7, 2019
The immune response to tumors.
Michael Dougan1, Glenn Dranoff1
1Department of Medical Oncology and Cancer Vaccine Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Current Protocols in Immunology
|April 7, 2009
Summary
Tumor immunology explores the complex immune system's dual role in cancer. Understanding this relationship helps harness immunity for effective cancer therapies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- The immune system has a complex relationship with tumors, capable of both inhibiting and promoting cancer progression.
- Immunoediting describes how immune cells recognize and reject malignant cells, but also how inflammation can aid tumor survival.
- Immunodeficiency increases cancer risk, and tumors often create immunosuppressive environments hindering anti-cancer immunity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the intricate interplay between the immune system and tumors.
- To understand how immune responses can be manipulated for therapeutic benefit in cancer.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on tumor immunology and cancer immunoediting.
- Analysis of the mechanisms by which tumors evade immune surveillance.
- Investigation of strategies to overcome tumor-induced immunosuppression.
Main Results:
- Immune responses can either suppress or enhance tumor growth, survival, and angiogenesis.
- Tumor microenvironments are often immunosuppressive, posing a barrier to effective cancer immunotherapy.
- Understanding these complex interactions is crucial for developing novel cancer treatments.
Conclusions:
- Harnessing the immune system is a key goal in developing effective antitumor responses.
- Further research into tumor immunology can lead to breakthroughs in cancer therapy.
- Targeting the tumor microenvironment is essential for successful immune-based cancer treatments.
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01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
01:27Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
01:40Cell-mediated Immune Responses
Overview
02:17The Tumor Microenvironment
Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
02:17The Tumor Microenvironment
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The immune system's response to viral infections is a complex and coordinated process involving natural killer (NK) cells, T cell-mediated responses, and antibody-mediated responses.
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NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...