Type 1 conventional dendritic cells: ontogeny, function, and emerging roles in cancer immunotherapy

Dendritic cells (DCs) are key immune sentinels that orchestrate protective im-mune responses against pathogens or cancers. DCs have evolved into multiple phenotypically, anatomically, and functionally distinct cell types. One of these DC types, Type 1 conventional DCs (cDC1s), are uniquely equipped to promote cytotoxic CD8+ T cell differentiation and, therefore, represent a promising target for harnessing antitumor immunity. Indeed, recent studies have highlighted the importance of cDC1s in tumor immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors. Here, we review the progress in defining the key developmental and functional attributes of cDC1s and the approaches to optimizing the potency of cDC1s for anticancer immunity.

Automated summary

DCs, particularly cDC1s, play a crucial role in orchestrating protective immune responses against pathogens or cancers, with recent studies highlighting their importance in tumor immunotherapy. The unique ability of cDC1s to promote cytotoxic CD8+ T cell differentiation makes them a promising target for enhancing anticancer immunity.