We discovered that intracellular activation of the GEF-H1 signaling pathway induces immune responses and dendritic cell maturation similar to microbial pattern recognition receptors. GEF-H1 directed immunity emerges as a critical mechanism that controls dendritic cell maturation upon disruption of microtubules.
This immune activation pathway is induced by microtubule destabilization and controls maturation of dendritic cells for anti-tumor immune responses. Dendritic cell targeting through the GEF-H1 immune pathway may be utilized to overcome the immune tolerant tumor environment and improve the utility of current immune checkpoint blockade and personalized cancer vaccinations.
Predicted partial structure of GEFH1
![Ribbon diagram of protein](/sites/default/files/styles/coh_small/public/2022-08/reinecker-GEFH1.jpeg?itok=J4RnaGNn)