Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), such as anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/PD-L, have demonstrated significant clinical effects on the neutralization of immunosuppressive mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Over the years, tremendous advances have been made in cancer immunotherapy, yet we are far from discovering the cure for the disease.
Resistance to ICI therapies and tumor recurrences are commonly reported in numerous cancer patients, particularly those with cold tumor or non-inflamed tumor. Cold tumor is characterized by inadequate T-cell infiltration, which may be caused by, but not limited to, impaired antigen cross-presentation by professional antigen-presenting cells (e.g. dendritic cells) to activate tumor-specific T cells in the tumor draining lymph node, reduced antigen presentation by tumor cells that are critical for T-cell recognition and cytotoxicity, and an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment (e.g. increased hypoxia, lactic acid production, etc.) that leads to T-cell dysfunction and a reduced number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). In addition, adverse events in ICI treatments have been observed, such as fever, fatigue, neurotoxicity, and organ inflammation, which significantly impede the benefits from cancer immunotherapies.
This Research Topic focuses on the novel strategies to enhance the efficacy and safety of immunotherapies, to comprehensively understand the genetic and/or epigenetic causes of tumor “coldness”, to identify novel biomarkers of the “cold tumor” and improve prognosis of cancer immunotherapies, and to explore the approaches to reshape the tumor microenvironment to favor T cell infiltration and immune responses. We welcome both Original Research and Review articles that focus on, but not limited to, the following topics:
• Identification of genetic or epigenetic regulators that affect cold tumor antigen presentation or cross-presentation of tumor antigens by professional antigen presenting cells.
• Discovery of novel biomarkers for “cold tumors”, including cold tumor cells surface proteins, non-coding RNA or DNA in the tumor cells, and secreting metabolites or exosomes.
• Novel combination in cancer immunotherapy, like non-apoptotic forms of cell death including pyroptosis, necrosis and ferroptosis.
• Genetic and epigenetic biomarkers for immunotherapy response and adverse drug reaction (ADR) for immune cold tumors.
• Development of organoid-based model for the evaluation of anti-cancer therapeutics in tumor immunotherapy, especially the efficacy and safety (side-effects).
Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this topic.
Dr. Zueva is a consultant for a private company “Mnemo therapeutics”. The rest of the editorial team declare no conflict of interest.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), such as anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/PD-L, have demonstrated significant clinical effects on the neutralization of immunosuppressive mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Over the years, tremendous advances have been made in cancer immunotherapy, yet we are far from discovering the cure for the disease.
Resistance to ICI therapies and tumor recurrences are commonly reported in numerous cancer patients, particularly those with cold tumor or non-inflamed tumor. Cold tumor is characterized by inadequate T-cell infiltration, which may be caused by, but not limited to, impaired antigen cross-presentation by professional antigen-presenting cells (e.g. dendritic cells) to activate tumor-specific T cells in the tumor draining lymph node, reduced antigen presentation by tumor cells that are critical for T-cell recognition and cytotoxicity, and an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment (e.g. increased hypoxia, lactic acid production, etc.) that leads to T-cell dysfunction and a reduced number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). In addition, adverse events in ICI treatments have been observed, such as fever, fatigue, neurotoxicity, and organ inflammation, which significantly impede the benefits from cancer immunotherapies.
This Research Topic focuses on the novel strategies to enhance the efficacy and safety of immunotherapies, to comprehensively understand the genetic and/or epigenetic causes of tumor “coldness”, to identify novel biomarkers of the “cold tumor” and improve prognosis of cancer immunotherapies, and to explore the approaches to reshape the tumor microenvironment to favor T cell infiltration and immune responses. We welcome both Original Research and Review articles that focus on, but not limited to, the following topics:
• Identification of genetic or epigenetic regulators that affect cold tumor antigen presentation or cross-presentation of tumor antigens by professional antigen presenting cells.
• Discovery of novel biomarkers for “cold tumors”, including cold tumor cells surface proteins, non-coding RNA or DNA in the tumor cells, and secreting metabolites or exosomes.
• Novel combination in cancer immunotherapy, like non-apoptotic forms of cell death including pyroptosis, necrosis and ferroptosis.
• Genetic and epigenetic biomarkers for immunotherapy response and adverse drug reaction (ADR) for immune cold tumors.
• Development of organoid-based model for the evaluation of anti-cancer therapeutics in tumor immunotherapy, especially the efficacy and safety (side-effects).
Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this topic.
Dr. Zueva is a consultant for a private company “Mnemo therapeutics”. The rest of the editorial team declare no conflict of interest.