Cancer Immunity: Lessons From Infectious Diseases

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Oncology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Innate and adaptive immunity are activated by infections and tumors, involving similar infiltrating immune cells.
• Acute inflammation in infections promotes protective immunity, while chronic inflammation in tumors suppresses antitumor responses and aids tumor growth.
• Immunosuppressive mechanisms seen in tumor microenvironments can also occur during infection resolution or chronic infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare and contrast immune responses in infectious and neoplastic tissues.
• To investigate the role of the tumor microenvironment and inflammation in cancer progression and immune evasion.
• To explore the influence of commensal microbiota on inflammation, immunity, and the efficacy of cancer therapies.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of immune cell infiltration and function in infected versus neoplastic tissues.
• Examination of inflammatory environments (acute vs. chronic) and their impact on immune responses.
• Assessment of the role of the tumor microenvironment and commensal microbiota in modulating antitumor immunity and treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

• Immune cell functions diverge significantly between infection and tumor settings despite cellular similarities.
• Chronic inflammation in tumors promotes immunosuppression, tumor growth, and immune escape.
• Commensal microbiota are crucial for immune responses to pathogens, autoimmunity, and modulate tumor immunity and treatment efficacy.

Conclusions:

• The tumor microenvironment, driven by chronic inflammation, actively suppresses antitumor immunity.
• Commensal microbiota play a critical role in regulating local and systemic immunity, influencing tumor progression.
• Targeting the tumor microenvironment and leveraging the microbiota are key strategies for effective cancer immunotherapy and chemotherapy.