Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a mechanistic, immune-activating form of cell death that converts dying tumor cells into an antitumor signal by releasing damage-associated molecular patterns and stimulating host immunity. It is being leveraged mainly in cancer therapy, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and nanomaterial-enabled delivery systems, to amplify systemic immune responses. In the provided studies, ICD was induced by epirubicin, by DOX/S-M after X-ray irradiation, and by photodynamic or photothermal approaches, with one report noting strong activation after irradiation and another linking ICD to redox imbalance and ferroptosis. Nanotechnology is a major theme: carbon-based, lipid-based, metallic, and polymeric nanoparticles are described as delivery platforms for ICD inducers, and nanomaterial-based strategies are used to regulate ICD in cancer therapy. Overall, the literature frames ICD as a mechanistic immune-activating outcome that can be combined with autophagy modulation, CRISPR-based thermogenetics, and radio-chemo-immunotherapy to improve tumor control. The Key Facts also note that ICD was activated by epirubicin in this study, reinforcing its role as a treatment-induced immune response rather than a standalone disease entity.
Cancer
- Epirubicin induced immunogenic cell death in moribund tumor cells, supporting host antitumor immunity in hepatocellular carcinoma. (PMID:41655909)
- DOX/S-M triggered strong immunogenic cell death after X-ray irradiation, contributing to systemic immune responses in radio-chemo-immunotherapy. (PMID:42001063)
- Photodynamic therapy promoted immunogenic cell death in tumor cells, linking oxidative damage to immune activation. (PMID:41747340)
- A nanomaterial-based review highlighted the interplay between autophagy and immunogenic cell death as a strategy for cancer immunotherapy. (PMID:41968306)
Nanotechnology and delivery
- Carbon-based, lipid-based, metallic, and polymeric nanoparticles are engineered to deliver ICD inducers and regulate immunogenic cell death in cancer therapy. (PMID:41968306)
- Albumin-hitchhiking self-assembly full-API nanoparticles enhanced imaging-guided photodynamic potentiation of tumor immunotherapy via immunogenic cell death. (PMID:41747340)
- A bismuthene-based nanoplatform combined thermogenetic CRISPR and photothermal therapy to promote immunogenic cell death. (PMID:41774834)
- Nanomaterial-based strategies were specifically described as tools to target and modulate immunogenic cell death for improved immunotherapy. (PMID:41968306)
Radiotherapy and combined modalities
- Single-dose X-ray exposure persistently activated nanoprodrugs for radio-chemo-immunotherapy through immunogenic cell death. (PMID:42001063)
- DOX/S-M showed strong immunogenic cell death induction following irradiation, indicating synergy between chemotherapy and radiotherapy. (PMID:42001063)
- Thermogenetic CRISPR plus photothermal therapy promoted immunogenic cell death, illustrating a multi-modal cancer treatment approach. (PMID:41774834)
- The combined modalities were presented as ways to intensify immune activation beyond direct cytotoxicity. (PMID:41774834)