Tumor cell-intrinsic RIG-I signaling governs synergistic effects of immunogenic cancer therapies and checkpoint inhibitors in mice.

Immunogenic cancer therapies, including radiation and hypomethylating agents, such as 5-azacytidine, rely on tumor cell-intrinsic activation of the RNA receptor RIG-I for their synergism with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Possible RIG-I ligands are small nuclear RNA (snRNA) and endogenous retroviral elements (ERV) leaking from the nucleus during programmed cell death.