Turning tumour cells into antigen presenting cells: The next step to improve cancer immunotherapy?

Downregulation/loss of the antigen presentation is a major immune escape mechanism in cancer. It allows tumour cells to become 'invisible' and avoid immune attack by antitumour T cells. In tumour harbouring properties of professional antigen presenting cells (i.e. tumour B cells in lymphoma), downregulation/loss of the antigen presentation may also prevent direct priming of naïve T cells by tumour cells. Here, we review treatments that may induce/restore antigen presentation by the tumour cells. These treatments may increase the generation of antitumour T cells and/or their capacity to recognise and eliminate tumour cells. By forcing tumour cells to present their antigens, these treatments may sensitise patients to T cell-based immunotherapies, including checkpoint inhibitors.