October 29, 2019
Source: Front Immunol. 2019 Oct 29;10:2393. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02393. eCollection 2019.
Authors: J. Fucikova, L.Palova-Jelinkova, J. Bartunkova, R. Spisek
Dendritic cells (DCs) are key regulators of immune responses that operate at the interface between innate and adaptive immunity, and defects in DC functions contribute to the pathogenesis of a variety of disorders. For instance, cancer evolves in the context of limited DC activity, and some autoimmune diseases are initiated by DC-dependent antigen presentation. Thus, correcting aberrant DC functions stands out as a promising therapeutic paradigm for a variety of diseases, as demonstrated by an abundant preclinical and clinical literature accumulating over the past two decades. However, the therapeutic potential of DC-targeting approaches remains to be fully exploited in the clinic. Here, we discuss the unique features of DCs that underlie the high therapeutic potential of DC-targeting strategies and critically analyze the obstacles that have prevented the full realization of this promising paradigm.
