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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Sep 1.
Published in final edited form as: CA Cancer J Clin. 2012 May 10;62(5):309–335. doi: 10.3322/caac.20132

FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 4

Dendritic Cells Provide Different Types of Information to Tumor-Specific T Cells. Dendritic cells (DCs) provide T cells with antigenic “signal 1” and costimulatory “signal 2,” which are needed for the activation and expansion of pathogen-specific T cells. DCs have also been shown to provide T cells with an additional polarizing “signal 3,” driving the development of different effector mechanisms and activating various subsets of immune cells with different abilities to induce cancer rejection. Recent studies have indicated that DCs also provide T cells with an additional signal (“signal 4”) regulating the organ-specific trafficking of immune cells. DCs regulate the expansion and acquisition of effector functions, as well as tumor-relevant homing properties for the development of effective immunotherapy. Th indicates T helper; NK, natural killer; CTLs, cytotoxic T lymphocytes; IL-12, interleukin-12; IFNs, interferons; Vit A, vitamin A; Vit D, vitamin D; Tregs, regulatory T cells.