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Analysis of Human T Cell Activity in an Allogeneic Co-Culture Setting of Pre-Treated Tumor Cells
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Cancer Epigenetics, Tumor Immunity, and Immunotherapy
1Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Department of Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Trends in Cancer
|July 2, 2020
Summary
Tumors use epigenetic mechanisms to evade immune responses. Targeting these epigenetic regulators can restore antitumor immunity and impact immuno-oncology.
Area of Science:
- Cancer immunology
- Epigenetics
- Immunotherapy
Background:
- Epigenetic mechanisms (DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin regulation) are crucial for tumor-immune cell interactions.
- Tumors exploit epigenetic processes to evade immune surveillance.
- Epigenetic regulators ('writers', 'readers', 'erasers', 'remodelers') are key targets.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss epigenetic regulators within the cancer-immunity cycle.
- To review advances in epigenetic therapies for enhancing anticancer immunity.
Main Methods:
- Review of current scientific literature on epigenetics and cancer immunology.
- Analysis of epigenetic regulators' roles in immune evasion and response.
- Discussion of therapeutic strategies targeting epigenetic mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Epigenetic mechanisms are frequently hijacked by tumors to escape immune attack.
- Pharmaceutical modulation of epigenetic regulators can normalize immunosurveillance.
- Epigenetic therapies show potential in triggering antitumor immune responses.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic targeting agents are promising immunomodulatory drugs for immuno-oncology.
- Epigenetic therapies can be used alone or in combination with existing immunotherapies.
- Targeting epigenetics offers a novel strategy to boost anticancer immunity.
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