Immune response after photodynamic therapy increases anti-cancer and anti-bacterial effects

Figure 2 Stimulation of adaptive anti-tumor immunity by photodynamic therapy. PDT-treated tumor cells release the antigens, which are phagocytosed by DCs and presented to naive T cells in the tumor draining lymph node. Activated effector T cells return in circulation and migrate to the tumor. Regulatory T cells seem to inhibit the immune responses after PDT. DCs: Dendritic cells; Hv: Light; MHCI: Major histocompatibility class I; PDT: Photodynamic therapy. Original figure based upon Ref. [115] and Ref. [116].