The Immune Privilege of Cancer Stem Cells: A Key to Understanding Tumor Immune Escape and Therapy Failure
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are broadly considered immature, multipotent, tumorigenic cells within the tumor mass, endowed with the ability to self-renew and escape immune control. All these features contribute to place CSCs at the pinnacle of tumor aggressiveness and (immune) therapy resistance. The i...
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doaj-19c3f64935d343cca4a51fd2a77b11f92021-09-25T23:52:46ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092021-09-01102361236110.3390/cells10092361The Immune Privilege of Cancer Stem Cells: A Key to Understanding Tumor Immune Escape and Therapy FailureClaudia Galassi0Martina Musella1Nicoletta Manduca2Ester Maccafeo3Antonella Sistigu4Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, ItalyDipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, ItalyDipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, ItalyDipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, ItalyDipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Traslazionale, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, ItalyCancer stem cells (CSCs) are broadly considered immature, multipotent, tumorigenic cells within the tumor mass, endowed with the ability to self-renew and escape immune control. All these features contribute to place CSCs at the pinnacle of tumor aggressiveness and (immune) therapy resistance. The immune privileged status of CSCs is induced and preserved by various mechanisms that directly affect them (e.g., the downregulation of the major histocompatibility complex class I) and indirectly are induced in the host immune cells (e.g., activation of immune suppressive cells). Therefore, deeper insights into the immuno-biology of CSCs are essential in our pursuit to find new therapeutic opportunities that eradicate cancer (stem) cells. Here, we review and discuss the ability of CSCs to evade the innate and adaptive immune system, as we offer a view of the immunotherapeutic strategies adopted to potentiate and address specific subsets of (engineered) immune cells against CSCs.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/9/2361tumor microenvironmentcancer stem cellsimmunogenicityimmune escapeimmunotherapy |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Claudia Galassi Martina Musella Nicoletta Manduca Ester Maccafeo Antonella Sistigu |
spellingShingle |
Claudia Galassi Martina Musella Nicoletta Manduca Ester Maccafeo Antonella Sistigu The Immune Privilege of Cancer Stem Cells: A Key to Understanding Tumor Immune Escape and Therapy Failure Cells tumor microenvironment cancer stem cells immunogenicity immune escape immunotherapy |
author_facet |
Claudia Galassi Martina Musella Nicoletta Manduca Ester Maccafeo Antonella Sistigu |
author_sort |
Claudia Galassi |
title |
The Immune Privilege of Cancer Stem Cells: A Key to Understanding Tumor Immune Escape and Therapy Failure |
title_short |
The Immune Privilege of Cancer Stem Cells: A Key to Understanding Tumor Immune Escape and Therapy Failure |
title_full |
The Immune Privilege of Cancer Stem Cells: A Key to Understanding Tumor Immune Escape and Therapy Failure |
title_fullStr |
The Immune Privilege of Cancer Stem Cells: A Key to Understanding Tumor Immune Escape and Therapy Failure |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Immune Privilege of Cancer Stem Cells: A Key to Understanding Tumor Immune Escape and Therapy Failure |
title_sort |
immune privilege of cancer stem cells: a key to understanding tumor immune escape and therapy failure |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Cells |
issn |
2073-4409 |
publishDate |
2021-09-01 |
description |
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are broadly considered immature, multipotent, tumorigenic cells within the tumor mass, endowed with the ability to self-renew and escape immune control. All these features contribute to place CSCs at the pinnacle of tumor aggressiveness and (immune) therapy resistance. The immune privileged status of CSCs is induced and preserved by various mechanisms that directly affect them (e.g., the downregulation of the major histocompatibility complex class I) and indirectly are induced in the host immune cells (e.g., activation of immune suppressive cells). Therefore, deeper insights into the immuno-biology of CSCs are essential in our pursuit to find new therapeutic opportunities that eradicate cancer (stem) cells. Here, we review and discuss the ability of CSCs to evade the innate and adaptive immune system, as we offer a view of the immunotherapeutic strategies adopted to potentiate and address specific subsets of (engineered) immune cells against CSCs. |
topic |
tumor microenvironment cancer stem cells immunogenicity immune escape immunotherapy |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/10/9/2361 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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