Dendritic Cell-Based Cancer Vaccines: The Impact of Modulating Innate Lymphoid Cells on Anti-Tumor Efficacy.

Dendritic cell (DC) vaccines stimulate the immune system to target cancer antigens, representing a promising option for immunotherapy. However, clinical trials have demonstrated limited effectiveness, emphasizing the need for enhanced immune responses. Improving the production of DC vaccines, assessing their impact on immune components, and observing responses could improve the results of DC-based therapies. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) represent a heterogeneous population of innate immune components that generate cytokines and modulate the immune system, potentially enhancing immunotherapies. Recent research highlights the different functions of ILCs in cancer, demonstrating their dual capabilities to promote tumors and exhibit anti-tumor actions. DCs and ILCs actively communicate under physiological and pathological conditions, and the activation of ILCs by DCs or DC vaccines has been shown to influence ILC cytokine production and function. Gaining insights into the interaction between DC-activated ILCs and tumors is essential for creating exciting new therapeutic strategies. These strategies aim to boost anti-tumor immunity while reducing the support that tumors receive. This review examines the effect of DC vaccination on host ILCs, illustrating the complex relationship between DC-based vaccines and ILCs. Furthermore, it explores some exciting strategies to enhance DC vaccines, aiming to boost anti-tumor immune responses by fostering better engagement with ILCs.