Recent Mechanistic Insight into the Immunogenic Properties of Radiation-Induced Micronuclei
Radiation therapy (RT) can shape the tumor immune microenvironment by releasing pro- and anti-inflammatory signals, which ultimately influence the antigenicity and adjuvanticity of a tumor.1-3 Accumulating evidence indicates that the immunogenicity of RT relies on the induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD) and/or the stimulation of type I interferon (IFN-I) subsequent to the recognition of cytoplasmic nucleic acid species. ICD is characterized by the occurrence of damage-associated molecular patterns from dying cancer cells, which will provide critical signals for their detection and uptake by antigen-presenting cells.
