Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (557 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A form of regulated cell death that results in release of specific damage associated molecular pattern molecules which activate an adaptive immune response. It can be initiated in any type of cell by a restricted set of stimuli, including viral infection, some chemotherapeutics or immunogenic radiation therapy.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Cell Death, Immunogenic.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Regulated Cell Death
Related concepts
- Damage Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules
- Adaptive Immunity
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 1,186 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Immunogenic Cell Death” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 1,155 of them (97.4%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2020 onward with 1,155 records.
Reviews account for 197 records (16.6%) and meta-analyses for 0. Randomized controlled trials number 1 (0.1%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 0 |
| 2000-2009 | 0 |
| 2010-2019 | 41 |
| 2020 onward | 1,155 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 197 | 16.6% |
| Meta-analyses | 0 | 0.0% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 1 | 0.1% |
Method: PubMed query "Immunogenic Cell Death"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in molecular biology
Molecular biology establishes mechanisms through controlled experiments, often in simplified systems such as purified proteins, cultured cells or model organisms. Such work can show what is possible in a defined system, but whether a pathway matters in a whole organism or in human disease needs further evidence. Check the experimental system, whether findings were reproduced by independent groups, and whether the authors tested the mechanism directly or inferred it from correlation.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consensus guidelines for the definition, detection and interpretation of immunogenic cell death | 2020 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 938 | cc by PMID 32209603 · DOI · PMC7064135 |
| Detection of immunogenic cell death and its relevance for cancer therapy | 2020 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 924 | cc by PMID 33243969 · DOI · PMC7691519 |
| Targeting immunogenic cell death in cancer | 2020 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 784 | cc by PMID 33179413 · DOI · PMC7718954 |
| Ir(III) Complexes Convert Cold to Hot Tumors via Ferroptosis/Necroptosis-Driven Immunogenic Cell Death and Photosensitized CD47 Downregulation | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 7 | cc by PMID 41298247 · DOI · PMC12884794 |
Consensus guidelines for the definition, detection and interpretation of immunogenic cell death [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Cells succumbing to stress via regulated cell death (RCD) can initiate an adaptive immune response associated with immunological memory, provided they display sufficient antigenicity and adjuvanticity.
- Closing excerpt
- Here, we provide an updated operational definition of immunogenic cell death (ICD), discuss the key factors that dictate the ability of dying cells to drive an adaptive immune response, summarize experimental assays that are currently available for the assessment of ICD in vitro and in vivo, and formulate guidelines for their interpretation.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (93 words)
Cells succumbing to stress via regulated cell death (RCD) can initiate an adaptive immune response associated with immunological memory, provided they display sufficient antigenicity and adjuvanticity. Moreover, multiple intracellular and microenvironmental features determine the propensity of RCD to drive adaptive immunity. Here, we provide an updated operational definition of immunogenic cell death (ICD), discuss the key factors that dictate the ability of dying cells to drive an adaptive immune response, summarize experimental assays that are currently available for the assessment of ICD in vitro and in vivo, and formulate guidelines for their interpretation.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 32209603 · DOI · PMC7064135
Detection of immunogenic cell death and its relevance for cancer therapy [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, as well as targeted anticancer agents can induce clinically relevant tumor-targeting immune responses, which critically rely on the antigenicity of malignant cells and their capacity to generate adjuvant signals.
- Closing excerpt
- Here, we outline methodological approaches for measuring ICD markers in vitro and ex vivo for the discovery of next-generation antineoplastic agents, the development of personalized anticancer regimens, and the identification of optimal therapeutic combinations for the clinical management of cancer.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (165 words)
Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, as well as targeted anticancer agents can induce clinically relevant tumor-targeting immune responses, which critically rely on the antigenicity of malignant cells and their capacity to generate adjuvant signals. In particular, immunogenic cell death (ICD) is accompanied by the exposure and release of numerous damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which altogether confer a robust adjuvanticity to dying cancer cells, as they favor the recruitment and activation of antigen-presenting cells. ICD-associated DAMPs include surface-exposed calreticulin (CALR) as well as secreted ATP, annexin A1 (ANXA1), type I interferon, and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). Additional hallmarks of ICD encompass the phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit-α (EIF2S1, better known as eIF2α), the activation of autophagy, and a global arrest in transcription and translation. Here, we outline methodological approaches for measuring ICD markers in vitro and ex vivo for the discovery of next-generation antineoplastic agents, the development of personalized anticancer regimens, and the identification of optimal therapeutic combinations for the clinical management of cancer.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 33243969 · DOI · PMC7691519
Targeting immunogenic cell death in cancer [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a type of cancer cell death triggered by certain chemotherapeutic drugs, oncolytic viruses, physicochemical therapies, photodynamic therapy, and radiotherapy.
- Closing excerpt
- Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential and challenges of harnessing ICD in cancer immunotherapy.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (170 words)
Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a type of cancer cell death triggered by certain chemotherapeutic drugs, oncolytic viruses, physicochemical therapies, photodynamic therapy, and radiotherapy. It involves the activation of the immune system against cancer in immunocompetent hosts. ICD comprises the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) from dying tumor cells that result in the activation of tumor-specific immune responses, thus eliciting long-term efficacy of anticancer drugs by combining direct cancer cell killing and antitumor immunity. Remarkably, subcutaneous injection of dying tumor cells undergoing ICD has been shown to provoke anticancer vaccine effects in vivo. DAMPs include the cell surface exposure of calreticulin (CRT) and heat-shock proteins (HSP70 and HSP90), extracellular release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), type I IFNs and members of the IL-1 cytokine family. In this review, we discuss the cell death modalities connected to ICD, the DAMPs exposed during ICD, and the mechanism by which they activate the immune system. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential and challenges of harnessing ICD in cancer immunotherapy.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 33179413 · DOI · PMC7718954
Ir(III) Complexes Convert Cold to Hot Tumors via Ferroptosis/Necroptosis-Driven Immunogenic Cell Death and Photosensitized CD47 Downregulation [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Photosensitizers engineered for spatiotemporal modulation of cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47) in hypoxic tumor microenvironments (TMEs) disrupt immunosuppressive circuits.
- Closing excerpt
- Collectively, this work establishes a photodynamic CD47-signaling platform for precise immune modulation, offering a clinically translatable alternative to conventional CD47-targeting therapies.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (129 words)
Photosensitizers engineered for spatiotemporal modulation of cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47) in hypoxic tumor microenvironments (TMEs) disrupt immunosuppressive circuits. Herein, we develop two Ir(III) complexes (Ir1 and Ir2) that function as photodynamic therapy (PDT) agents via Type-I/II mechanisms, overcoming hypoxic constraints. Under 630 nm irradiation, Ir1-mediated PDT ROS-dependently downregulates CD47, enabling spatial control that circumvents hematotoxicity. Concurrently, Ir1-mediated PDT triggers immunogenic cell death (ICD) via ferroptosis-necroptosis synergy and blocks the CD47-SIRPα immune checkpoint, while promoting M1-polarization of tumor-associated macrophages. In 4T1 murine breast cancer models, Ir1-PDT achieves potent tumor suppression and transforms immunologically "cold" tumors into "hot" lesions through the synergistic interplay of ICD and CD47 pathway disruption. Collectively, this work establishes a photodynamic CD47-signaling platform for precise immune modulation, offering a clinically translatable alternative to conventional CD47-targeting therapies.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41298247 · DOI · PMC12884794
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Nanoparticle-Mediated Immunogenic Cell Death Enables and Potentiates Cancer Immunotherapy [5]
- Research article Immunogenic cell death in cancer therapy: Present and emerging inducers [6]
- Research article Immunogenic Cell Death Activates the Tumor Immune Microenvironment to Boost the Immunotherapy Efficiency [7]
- Research article Targeting immunogenic cell stress and death for cancer therapy [8]
- Research article Immunogenic cell death in cancer: targeting necroptosis to induce antitumour immunity [9]
References
- Galluzzi L, Vitale I, Warren S, Adjemian S, Agostinis P, Martinez AB, et al.. Consensus guidelines for the definition, detection and interpretation of immunogenic cell death. . 2020. PMID 32209603 · DOI · PMC7064135
- Fucikova J, Kepp O, Kasikova L, Petroni G, Yamazaki T, Liu P, et al.. Detection of immunogenic cell death and its relevance for cancer therapy. . 2020. PMID 33243969 · DOI · PMC7691519
- Ahmed A, Tait SWG. Targeting immunogenic cell death in cancer. . 2020. PMID 33179413 · DOI · PMC7718954
- Yu LB, Wang P, Shen QH, Guan QX, Li ZY, Han YY, et al.. Ir(III) Complexes Convert Cold to Hot Tumors via Ferroptosis/Necroptosis-Driven Immunogenic Cell Death and Photosensitized CD47 Downregulation. . 2026. PMID 41298247 · DOI · PMC12884794
- Duan X, Chan C, Lin W. Nanoparticle-Mediated Immunogenic Cell Death Enables and Potentiates Cancer Immunotherapy. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2019. PMID 30016571 · DOI · PMC7837455
- Zhou J, Wang G, Chen Y, Wang H, Hua Y, Cai Z. Immunogenic cell death in cancer therapy: Present and emerging inducers. J Cell Mol Med. 2019. PMID 31210425 · DOI · PMC6653385
- Li Z, Lai X, Fu S, Ren L, Cai H, Zhang H, et al.. Immunogenic Cell Death Activates the Tumor Immune Microenvironment to Boost the Immunotherapy Efficiency. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2022. PMID 35652198 · DOI · PMC9353475
- Galluzzi L, Guilbaud E, Schmidt D, Kroemer G, Marincola FM. Targeting immunogenic cell stress and death for cancer therapy. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2024. PMID 38622310 · DOI · PMC11153000
- Meier P, Legrand AJ, Adam D, Silke J. Immunogenic cell death in cancer: targeting necroptosis to induce antitumour immunity. Nat Rev Cancer. 2024. PMID 38454135 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.