Background
Dendritic cells (DC) are potent antigen-presenting cells that play a critical role in the activation of T cells. Antigen-loaded dendritic cell-based vaccines have been used for immunotherapy of human cancers and chronic infections, but only with limited success. RNAi-mediated silencing of negative immunoregulatory molecules expressed by DCs may provide a strategy to enhance the potency of DC-based vaccines and immunotherapy.