Une défense naturelle contre les cellules tumorales? Oui, la cellule tueuse IKDC

IKDC (IFN-producing killer dendritic cell) is a new and rare subset of dendritic cells recently identified in mice. IKDCs possess both natural killer and dendritic cell markers. They can lyse tumor target cells without prior activation through several different lysis pathways: perforin, TRAIL or IFNγ-induced antiangiogenesis. Iinterleukin-2 combined with Gleevec™ can not only induce activation and proliferation of IKDC in vitro but also leads to their accumulation at sites of tumors in vivo in mice. These observations should pave the way for clinical trials in patients with cancer in a near future.