Defining Immunogenic and Radioimmunogenic Tumors

Terry R Medler; Tiffany C Blair; Marka R Crittenden; Michael J Gough

doi:10.3389/fonc.2021.667075

Defining Immunogenic and Radioimmunogenic Tumors

Front Oncol. 2021 Mar 19:11:667075. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.667075. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Terry R Medler¹, Tiffany C Blair^{1

2}, Marka R Crittenden^{1

2

3}, Michael J Gough^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Cancer Institute, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR, United States.
² Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, OHSU, Portland, OR, United States.
³ The Oregon Clinic, Portland, OR, United States.

Abstract

In the cancer literature tumors are inconsistently labeled as 'immunogenic', and experimental results are occasionally dismissed since they are only tested in known 'responsive' tumor models. The definition of immunogenicity has moved from its classical definition based on the rejection of secondary tumors to a more nebulous definition based on immune infiltrates and response to immunotherapy interventions. This review discusses the basis behind tumor immunogenicity and the variation between tumor models, then moves to discuss how these principles apply to the response to radiation therapy. In this way we can identify radioimmunogenic tumor models that are particularly responsive to immunotherapy only when combined with radiation, and identify the interventions that can convert unresponsive tumors so that they can also respond to these treatments.

Keywords: T cell; dendritic cell; immunogenic; immunogenicity; immunotherapy; priming; radiation; tumor.

Publication types

Review

Abstract

Publication types

Grants and funding