title: Mechanisms of murine dendritic cell antitumor dysfunction in aging.
abstract: Effective cancer immunotherapy depends on the body's ability to generate tumor antigen-presenting cells and tumor-reactive effector lymphocytes. As the most potent antigen presenting cells (APCs), dendritic cells (DCs) are capable of sensitizing T cells to new and recall antigens. Clinical trials of antigen-pulsed autologous DCs have been conducted in patients with a number of hematological and solid cancers, including malignant melanoma, lymphoma, myeloma, and non-small cell lung cancer. These studies suggest that antigen-loaded DC vaccination is a potentially safe and effective cancer therapy. However, the clinical results have been variable. Since the elderly are preferentially affected by diseases targeted by DC-directed immunotherapy, it is quite striking that few studies to date have focused on the effect of aging on DC function, a key aspect of optimal immunotherapy design in an aging population. In the present paper, we will discuss the consequences of aging on murine bone marrow-derived DC function and their use in cancer immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Geriatric Medicine and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0940, USA. grolleau@umich.edu
authors.forename: Annabelle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grolleau-Julius
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abernathy
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harning
authors.forename: Raymond L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Yung
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000379:methods*; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology