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TUMOR IMMUNOLOGY

Enhancing anti-tumor immunity by autophagy inhibition

Two recent studies demonstrate how autophagy, in both tumor cells and host tissues, regulates anti-tumor T cell responses. These works add to accumulating evidence that inhibitors of autophagy could be used in combination with immunotherapy in certain cancer types.

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Fig. 1: Systemic inhibition of autophagy can target multiple autophagy-mediated immunosuppressive mechanisms.

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Correspondence to Andrew Thorburn or Christina G. Towers.

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Thorburn, A., Towers, C.G. Enhancing anti-tumor immunity by autophagy inhibition. Nat Cancer 2, 484–486 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43018-021-00214-8

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