eIF2α phosphorylation: A hallmark of immunogenic cell death

Abstract

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) induced by anticancer chemotherapeutics is usually preceded by premortem stress affecting the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This ER stress does not reflect a canonical unfolded protein response (UPR) but rather manifests solely at the level of the phosphorylation of eIF2α. eIF2α phosphorylation is hence a quintessential hallmark of ICD that can be detected by immunohistochemistry in tumor samples.