New findings reveal how dendritic cells orchestrate anti-tumour immunity, opening new avenues for cancer immunotherapy
Cellular Immunology Lab led by Federica Benvenuti contributes to landmark Science study revealing how the body’s first line of defence prepares anti-cancer immunity
Trieste, Italy, 16 July 2026: A major international study published in Science reveals the pivotal role of dendritic cells in building and maintaining specialised immune structures inside tumours that are associated with improved patient outcomes and better responses to immunotherapy. The research provides new insights into how the immune system organises its attack against cancer and identifies promising targets for future therapeutic strategies.
The study, “Dendritic cells control tertiary lymphoid structure development and maintenance in cancer,” was led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (New York) and brought together experts from leading cancer and immunology centres worldwide.
Among the international collaborators is Dr. Federica Benvenuti, Group Leader at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in Trieste, whose internationally recognised expertise in dendritic cell biology contributed to the study’s investigation of the mechanisms governing anti-tumour immune responses.
The researchers demonstrate that a specialised subset of dendritic cells, known as conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1), acts as the architect of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), i.e. organised clusters of immune cells that develop within tumours and serve as local hubs for activating and coordinating anti-cancer immunity. These structures have emerged as one of the strongest predictors of favourable prognosis and successful responses to immune checkpoint blockade therapies across several cancer types.
“Understanding how dendritic cells organise immune responses within tumours provides an important foundation for developing next-generation immunotherapies,” said Dr. Federica Benvenuti, Group Leader at ICGEB. “We have been working for several years on specific preclinical tumor models that illustrate the main findings included in this paper. Timely connections with the outstanding team at Mount Sinai enabled sharing of our data for validation”.
The discovery provides a mechanistic explanation for observations across many cancer types and suggests that therapies that enhance dendritic cell function or promote tertiary lymphoid structure formation could substantially improve patient responses to immunotherapy.
The contribution of ICGEB to this landmark publication reflects the Centre’s longstanding commitment to advancing fundamental discoveries in immunology that translate into innovative approaches for treating human disease.
The research was supported by numerous international funding bodies, including Fondazione AIRC per la Ricerca sul Cancro, whose sustained investment in cutting-edge cancer research continues to drive scientific advances with the potential to improve patient care.
Link to paper: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady1678
