Tumor-infiltrating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) have been associated with poor patient prognosis. We have recently uncovered the ability of pDCs to activate and expand a subset of tumor-infiltrating FOXP3+ regulatory T cells that express inducible costimulator (ICOS), providing new insights into the mechanisms that govern the escape of cancer from immunosurveillance.
Keywords: ICOS; cancer; immunosuppression; plasmacytoid dendritic cells; regulatory T cells.