The role of dendritic cells in metastatic colonization and immunosurveillance of melanoma (B05#)

• Subject Area: Hematology, Oncology
• Term: from 2021 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 429280966

The formation of metastases in malignant melanoma is associated with a very bad prognosis for melanoma patients. Dendritic cells (DCs) exert an important role in the induction and guidance of innate and adaptive immune responses. Although the role of DCs is started to be investigated in solid primary tumours, their precise role during the metastatic colonization and the unscathed growth of melanoma metastases in a new tissue microenvironment is largely unknown. In project B05 we want to understand the immune control of metastatic colonization by DCs. We will characterize different DC subtypes after isolating infiltrating DCs from metastases, compare them to DCs from primary tumours and corresponding normal tissues, define their specific immune-modulatory effects on T cell subpopulations in in vitro and in vivo models and explore DC subpopulations for therapeutic approaches.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 305: Striking a moving target: From mechanisms of metastatic colonization to novel systemic therapies
• Applicant Institution: Universität Regensburg
• Project Head: Professorin Dr. Diana Dudziak