scRNA-sequencing of mouse and human tumors reveals new cDC2 subsets

While cDC1s represent a rather homogenous population, the functional and phenotypic heterogeneity of cDC2s remains enigmatic. Although several cDC2 subsets have been identified in mice and humans in steady-state and inflammation, their concurrent and comprehensive understanding in different mouse and human tumors is lacking. Hence, using cutting-edge techniques we show that cDC2s in different mouse and human cancers exhibit additional heterogeneity to what is known in the literature. We provide a comprehensive overview of these novel cDC2 subpopulations at the transcript and protein levels as well as their spatial distribution in the tumor microenvironment (TME). This knowledge in turn could serve as the foundation for using these cells in the development of anti-cancer immunotherapies including DC vaccines.