The immunomodulatory role of all-trans retinoic acid in tumor microenvironment

• Published in: Clinical and experimental medicine Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 591 - 606
• Main Authors: Bi, Guoshu, Liang, Jiaqi, Bian, Yunyi, Shan, Guangyao, Besskaya, Valeria, Wang, Qun, Zhan, Cheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.07.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acute promyeloid leukemia; Cancer vaccines; CD8 antigen; Chemotherapy; Clinical trials; Hematology; Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Immunomodulation; Immunoregulation; Immunosuppression; Immunotherapy; Internal Medicine; Lymphocytes T; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Nuclear receptors; Oncology; Promyeloid leukemia; Regulatory sequences; Retinoic acid; Retinoids; Review Article; Solid tumors; Suppressor cells; Tumor microenvironment; Retinoids; Tumor microenvironment; Retinoic acid; Immune; Myeloid-derived suppressor cell
• ISSN: 1591-9528; 1591-8890; 1591-9528
• DOI: 10.1007/s10238-022-00860-x

Retinoids are essential nutrients for human beings. Among them, all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), considered one of the most active metabolites, plays important roles in multiple biological processes. ATRA regulates the transcription of target genes by interacting with nuclear receptors bonded to retinoic acid response elements (RAREs). Besides its differentiation-inducing effect in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia and some solid tumor types, its immunoregulatory role in tumor microenvironment (TME) has attracted considerable attention. ATRA not only substantially abrogates the immunosuppressive effect of tumor-infiltrating myeloid-derived suppressor cells but also activates the anti-tumor effect of CD8 + T cells. Notably, the combination of ATRA with other therapeutic approaches, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), tumor vaccines, and chemotherapy, has been extensively investigated in a variety of tumor models and clinical trials. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the role of ATRA in cancer immunology and immunotherapy, dissect the underlying mechanisms of ATRA-mediated activation or differentiation of different types of immune cells, and explore the potential clinical significance of ATRA-based cancer therapy.