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Immunogenic Apoptotic Cell Death and Anticancer Immunity

Peter Vandenabeele1,2,3, Katrien Vandecasteele4, Claus Bachert5

  • 1Molecular Signalling and Cell Death Unit, Inflammation Research Center, VIB, Ghent, Belgium.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|August 26, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Anticancer therapies can trigger immunogenic apoptosis, releasing damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that activate anti-tumor immunity. This review explores DAMP signaling, ER stress, and radiotherapy

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Apoptotic cells were traditionally considered anti-inflammatory.
  • Emerging evidence shows certain anticancer therapies induce immunogenic apoptosis.
  • This process involves damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) activating anti-tumor immunity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review advances in danger signaling pathways and DAMP emission.
  • To discuss the role of ER stress in danger signaling.
  • To analyze radiotherapy-induced immunogenic apoptosis and its parameters.

Main Methods:

  • Review of experimental data and literature.
  • Discussion of danger signaling pathways (calreticulin, ATP, HMGB1).
  • Analysis of ER stress involvement and immunogenic cell death inducer classification.

Main Results:

  • Specific signaling pathways are activated by distinct immunogenic cell death stimuli.
  • ER stress plays a crucial role in danger signaling.
  • Radiotherapy-induced immunogenicity correlates with fraction dose and chemotherapy.

Conclusions:

  • Anticancer therapies can induce immunogenic apoptosis via DAMPs, activating anti-tumor immune responses.
  • ER stress is central to danger signaling and classifying cell death inducers.
  • Understanding radiotherapy parameters is key to optimizing its immunogenic potential.
Keywords:
ATPCalreticulinCancerChemotherapeuticsDAMPsER stressHMGB1RadiotherapyTumors

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