Restoration of defective cross-presentation in tumors by gemcitabine.

Tumor antigen cross-presentation by dendritic cells (DCs) to specific CD8+ T cells is central to antitumor immunity. Although highly efficient in draining lymph nodes, it is defective within the tumor site itself. Importantly, an immunogenic chemotherapy, gemcitabine, reverses this defect, allowing the potential re-stimulation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes within tumor sites.