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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Sep 28.
Published in final edited form as: Cancer Immunol Res. 2020 Jan 17;8(3):345–355. doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-19-0517

Figure 7. Proposed mechanism of combined CD44- and CD25-targeted NIR-PIT–induced immunotherapy.

Figure 7.

FOXP3+CD25+CD4+ Tregs limit antitumor immunity through suppression of effector T cells and NK cells by inhibitory cytokines and cytolysis, as well as by metabolic disruption with IL2 consumption and modulation of DC maturation or function. Combined CD44- and CD25-targeted NIR-PIT induces immunogenic cell death in CD44+ tumors and selectively depletes Tregs with high CD25 expression. Step1: The process of immunogenic cell death caused by CD44-targeted NIR-PIT induces DC maturation. Step 2: Treg depletion induces activation and expansion of effector T cells and simultaneously, differentiation into tumor-specific T cells. Taken together, this combined NIR-PIT results in effective tumor killing and promotion of long-lasting antitumor immunity.