Review
Oncology
Allison C. Rosenthal, Javier L. Munoz, J. C. Villasboas
Summary: Advancements in cancer biology, genomics, epigenomics, and immunology have expanded cancer treatment options beyond chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This review focuses on the latest applications of epigenetic therapies for B cell, T cell, and Hodgkin lymphomas, covering key clinical trial results for monotherapies and combination therapies.
CLINICAL EPIGENETICS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Hepei Yuan, Momoko Nishikori, Yasuyuki Otsuka, Hiroshi Arima, Toshio Kitawaki, Akifumi Takaori-Kondo
Summary: Tazemetostat can potentially activate anti-lymphoma response by upregulating CCL17 expression in B-cell lymphoma cells and promote T-cell recruitment, providing a rationale for its combination with immunotherapy.
Article
Oncology
Yan Luo, Yaqing Qie, Martha E. Gadd, Alak Manna, Rocio Rivera-Valentin, Tommy To, Shuhua Li, Farah Yassine, Hemant S. Murthy, Roxana Dronca, Mohamed A. Kharfan-Dabaja, Hong Qin
Summary: This study developed a CAR-T cell therapy targeting B-cell activating factor receptor (BAFF-R) and demonstrated its antigen-specific cytotoxicity and antitumor effects against leukemia and lymphoma. The therapy specifically targeted BAFF-R expression in CLL and showed efficacy against CLL patient samples.
CANCER IMMUNOLOGY IMMUNOTHERAPY
(2023)
Review
Hematology
Binod Dhakal, Saurabh Chhabra, Bipin N. Savani, Mehdi Hamadani
Summary: CAR T-cell therapy shows promise in haematological malignancies, but the complexity of autologous CAR T-cell therapy poses logistical challenges. Allogeneic effector cells offer potential solutions, but challenges such as alloreactivity need to be addressed for their widespread use.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Christina Y. Lee, Monika K. Shah, David Hoyos, Alexander Solovyov, Melanie Douglas, Ying Taur, Peter Maslak, N. Esther Babady, Benjamin Greenbaum, Mini Kamboj, Santosha A. Vardhana
Summary: Persistent COVID-19 infection is more likely to occur in patients with hematologic malignancies, particularly B-cell lymphomas. Active therapy and diminished T-cell counts are associated with acute mortality, while B cell-depleting therapy is the main cause of rehospitalization. Patients with persistent infection show high viral entropy, especially those with impaired CD8(+) T-cell immunity. These findings highlight the need for additional therapeutic strategies to clear the virus in immunocompromised patients.
Review
Oncology
Marta Elzbieta Kasprzyk, Weronika Sura, Agnieszka Dzikiewicz-Krawczyk
Summary: B-cell malignancies originate from B cells at different stages of maturation and rank as the 6th most common cancer-related cause of death. In addition to established oncogenes and tumor suppressors, recent research has shown the involvement of non-coding, regulatory sequences. Enhancers, DNA elements that control gene expression in a cell type- and developmental stage-specific manner, ensure proper differentiation and maturation of B cells. However, the redirection of enhancer activity can lead B cells towards cancer. This review discusses various mechanisms through which enhancers are utilized in malignant B cells, highlighting the potential of therapeutic targeting of enhancers for future research.
Review
Immunology
Laurianne Scourzic, Eralda Salataj, Effie Apostolou
Summary: This review highlights the importance of high-order 3D chromatin organization in regulating gene expression, DNA recombination, and cell fate decisions in lymphocyte development and activation. The interconnections between architectural, epigenetic, and transcriptional changes are discussed, along with the major key players in genomic organization in B/T lymphocytes. Furthermore, the link between alterations in architectural factors and 3D genome organization to dysregulation of the lymphopoietic transcriptional program and hematological malignancies is presented.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Miranda Fernandez-Serrano, Rene Winkler, Juliana C. Santos, Marguerite-Marie Le Pannerer, Marcus Buschbeck, Gael Roue
Summary: In lymphoid neoplasms, malignant transformation is often associated with somatic mutations in B cells affecting the epigenetic machinery. Consequential alterations in histone modifications lead to disease-specific changes in transcriptional programs. Therapeutic strategies targeting histone methylation and acetylation show promise in improving the prognosis of lymphoma patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Kamira Maharaj, Angimar Uriepero, Eva Sahakian, Javier Pinilla-Ibarz
Summary: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a crucial role in B-cell lymphoid malignancies, with increased levels correlating with clinical outcomes. Tregs can be induced directly by tumor cells and suppress antitumor immunity in the tumor microenvironment, facilitating disease progression. Furthermore, Tregs can be modulated by novel therapeutic agents, such as immune checkpoint blockade and targeted therapies.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Haiwen Chen, Xiao Zhang, Shanshan Zhang, Xiaobing Duan, Tong Xiang, Xiang Zhou, Wanlin Zhang, Xinyu Zhang, Qisheng Feng, Yinfeng Kang, Jiangping Li, Lan Deng, Liang Wang, Xing Lv, Musheng Zeng, Yi-Xin Zeng, Miao Xu
Summary: The study identified novel gB T cell epitopes and revealed that inherent gB-specific CD8(+) T cell responses in EBV carriers are associated with EBV reactivation. Additionally, most gB epitopes were found to be conserved among different EBV strains.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joana Jorge, Joana Neves, Raquel Alves, Catarina Geraldes, Ana Cristina Goncalves, Ana Bela Sarmento-Ribeiro
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy of parthenolide, a natural compound, in lymphoid malignancies. The results showed that parthenolide promoted cell death and reduced oxidative stress, indicating its potential as a new therapeutic approach for B- and T-lymphoid malignancies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Caterina Veroni, Francesca Aloisi
Summary: The role of CD8 T cells in the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been increasingly recognized in recent years, with studies indicating their importance in disease pathogenesis and neurodegenerative cascade. Research has shown that CD8 T cells predominate in MS brain lesions and are clonally expanded in the central nervous system, potentially playing a key role in inducing neuroinflammation and tissue damage. Additionally, the association of specific MHC class I alleles with MS genetic risk implicates CD8 T cells in disease pathogenesis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chuanxu Liu, Xinyu Ding, Gaoyang Li, Youping Zhang, Yubao Shao, Linyi Liu, Wenhao Zhang, Yujie Ma, Wenbin Guan, Lifeng Wang, Zhongli Xu, YungTing Chang, Yongqiang Zhang, Biao Jiang, Qianqian Yin, Rong Tao
Summary: Extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTL) is a aggressive lymphoid malignancy with poor prognosis and lacks standard treatment. In this study, Bcl-xL-specific BH3 mimetics were found to effectively induce apoptosis in ENKTL cells. Bcl-xL high expression was closely associated with worse patient survival. Moreover, Bcl-xL inhibition reduced tumor burden, increased apoptosis, and prolonged survival in ENKTL cell line xenograft and patient-derived xenograft models. These findings suggest that Bcl-xL could be a promising therapeutic target for ENKTL.
Article
Oncology
Xing Wang, Dedao Wang, Ning Ding, Lan Mi, Hui Yu, Meng Wu, Feier Feng, Luni Hu, Yime Zhang, Chao Zhong, Yingying Ye, Jiao Li, Wei Fang, Yunfei Shi, Lijuan Deng, Zhitao Ying, Yuqin Song, Jun Zhu
Summary: The combination of EZH2 inhibitor SHR2554 and HDAC inhibitor HBI8000 shows synergistic anti-proliferative activity in both EZH2 wide-type and mutation B-cell lymphoma by inhibiting DNA replication initiator protein ORC1, providing a potential therapeutic treatment for patients. The study also introduces a novel highly selective EZH2 inhibitor SHR2554 and potential combination strategy in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), demonstrating significant anti-tumor effects in vitro and in vivo.
Article
Immunology
Sabine Tischer-Zimmermann, Agnes Bonifacius, Maria Michela Santamorena, Philip Mausberg, Sven Stoll, Marius Doering, Ulrich Kalinke, Rainer Blasczyk, Britta Maecker-Kolhoff, Britta Eiz-Vesper
Summary: In immunocompromised patients, EBV infection or reactivation is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The first-line treatment consists of reduction of immunosuppression and administration of rituximab. In addition, monitoring of T cells of high-risk patients is crucial for improving clinical outcome.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)