Proximity-dependent labeling identifies dendritic cells that drive the tumor-specific CD4+ T cell response

Sci Immunol. 2024 Oct 4;9(100):eadq8843. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adq8843. Epub 2024 Oct 4.

Abstract

Dendritic cells (DCs) are uniquely capable of transporting tumor antigens to tumor-draining lymph nodes (tdLNs) and interact with effector T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) itself, mediating both natural antitumor immunity and the response to checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. Using LIPSTIC (Labeling Immune Partnerships by SorTagging Intercellular Contacts)-based single-cell transcriptomics, we identified individual DCs capable of presenting antigen to CD4+ T cells in both the tdLN and TME. Our findings revealed that DCs with similar hyperactivated transcriptional phenotypes interact with helper T cells both in tumors and in the tdLN and that checkpoint blockade drugs enhance these interactions. These findings show that a relatively small fraction of DCs is responsible for most of the antigen presentation in the tdLN and TME to both CD4+ and CD8+ tumor-specific T cells and that classical checkpoint blockade enhances CD40-driven DC activation at both sites.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes* / immunology
  • Dendritic Cells* / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL*
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Tumor Microenvironment / immunology