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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Jul 14.
Published in final edited form as: Cell. 2016 Jul 14;166(2):288–298. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.05.051

Figure 4. Autophagy Fuels Immunogenic Cell Death.

Figure 4

Overview of the roles of autophagy in ICD. Ionizing radiation, oncolytic viruses and certain chemotherapeutic agents induce autophagy-dependent release of DAMP and tumor antigens by cancer cells. DAMP lead to maturation and advanced activation of APC, which after engulfing tumor antigens, use autophagy to process antigens and cross-present them to T cells, leading to activation of CTL survival and maturation are also stimulated by autophagy. CTL activation can be limited upon engagement of the inhibitory receptors CTLA-4 and PD-1 by ligands that are present within the tumor bed. Immune checkpoints inhibitors overcome this inhibition and promote effective CTL-mediated tumor eradication, especially when combined with ICD inducers. HSP70/90, heat shock protein 70/90; HMGB1, high mobility group box 1 protein; RAGE, receptor for advanced glycation endproducts; P2X7, purinergic receptor P2X, ligand-gated ion channel 7; TLR2/4, toll-like receptor 2/4; CTL, cytotoxic T-lymphocytes; CTLA-4, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4; PD-1, programmed cell death protein 1.