Figure 1.

The role of ncRNAs in the immunosuppressive effects of PDAC cells on dendritic cells and T cells. PDAC cells upregulate several immunosuppressive ncRNAs (shown by red color) and downregulate immunogenic ncRNAs (shown by green color) to escape recognition by dendritic cells and dampen T cell cytotoxicity. For instance, by altering the expression pattern of ncRNA, PDAC cells can downregulate MHC I, MHC II, CD80/CD86, and TLR4 and hinder identification and antigen presentation by dendritic cells. Similarly, with the help of ncRNAs, PDAC cells can promote PD-1/PD-L1 and FAS/FASL interaction and accelerate T cell death, inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines or cytotoxic enzymes in T cells, or prevent cancer cell recognition by impairing TCR synthesis.