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Updated: Oct 12, 2025

Tumor Transplantation for Assessing the Dynamics of Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells in Mice
Published on: June 12, 2021
Type I interferon activates MHC class I-dressed CD11b+ conventional dendritic cells to promote protective anti-tumor
Ellen Duong1, Tim B Fessenden2, Emi Lutz3
1Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Abstract:
Tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells (DCs) assume varied functional states that impact anti-tumor immunity. To delineate the DC states associated with productive anti-tumor T cell immunity, we compared spontaneously regressing and progressing tumors. Tumor-reactive CD8+ T cell responses in Batf3-/- mice lacking type 1 DCs (DC1s) were lost in progressor tumors but preserved in regressor tumors. Transcriptional profiling of intra-tumoral DCs within regressor tumors revealed an activation state of CD11b+ conventional DCs (DC2s) characterized by expression of interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes (ISGs) (ISG+ DCs). ISG+ DC-activated CD8+ T cells ex vivo comparably to DC1. Unlike cross-presenting DC1, ISG+ DCs acquired and presented intact tumor-derived peptide-major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC class I) complexes. Constitutive type I IFN production by regressor tumors drove the ISG+ DC state, and activation of MHC class I-dressed ISG+ DCs by exogenous IFN-β rescued anti-tumor immunity against progressor tumors in Batf3-/- mice. The ISG+ DC gene signature is detectable in human tumors. Engaging this functional DC state may present an approach for the treatment of human disease.
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