Fig. 3.

Rab proteins are involved in the crosstalk between antigen presenting cells and T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Aggressive cancer generates an inflammatory TME or a long-term chronic inflammatory response by recruiting infiltrated immune cells leading to immune cell inactivation and cancer cell proliferation, further enabling mutual cell–cell interaction through direct and indirect crosstalk. The direct communication includes the membrane receptor/ligand traffic, while indirect routes are mediated by soluble molecules from lytic pathogen, cytokines and chemokines. The Rab proteins-mediated crosstalk in A antigen presenting cells, commonly macrophages and DCs and in B adaptive immune T cells. Together, these Rab proteins regulate stepwise changes in cellular interaction partners to foster an immunosuppressive TME to promote cancer progression