The distinct roles of ROS in tumor immunity: from mechanisms to immunotherapeutic applications

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are crucial signaling molecules that regulate diverse biological processes. In cancer, this duality gives rise to a central paradox. Moderate ROS levels support tumor proliferation and foster an immunosuppressive microenvironment, whereas excessive ROS can be therapeutically leveraged to trigger immunogenic cell death (ICD). Crucially, the outcome on immune cells, whether activation or exhaustion, is dictated by the subcellular localization and kinetics of ROS generation. This review critically examines this "ROS-Immune Mismatch," a new framework that highlights the differential redox sensitivities between tumor cells and key immune subsets. This differential sensitivity, where…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Award: 81972804