Summary
Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells that play a critical role in the regulation of adaptive immune responses. They instruct and activate T cells and are therefore crucial for establishing immunological memory. Immense research effort is being expended to create dendritic cell vaccines, which may potentially prime a patient's immune system against infectious pathogens or cancer cells. Currently, there are several clinical trials underway that use in vitro-induced DCs to induce immunity to antigens against breast cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, prostate, and renal cell cancers. Novel methods to generate DCs with an increased potency to stimulate immunity will be a significant advance in treating patients with cancer or infectious disease.
Innovation
Researchers at UCLA have developed a novel method for inducing dendritic cells (DCs) from monocytes. Compared to current methods, this innovation generates DCs with greater potency as antigen presenting cells for the activation of T cells. These potent DCs could be infused into cancer or infectious disease patients as part of a vaccine to enhance T cell activation.
Advantages