[Current research advance on cellular immunotherapy for leukemia-review]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Hematology

Context:

• Chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies leads to remission but frequently results in relapse and significant toxicity.
• The identification of leukemia-associated antigens (LAA) recognized by cytotoxic T cells (CTL) has opened new avenues for treatment.
• Existing treatments like chemotherapy have limitations, necessitating the exploration of alternative therapeutic strategies.

Purpose:

• To review the current status and future potential of cellular immunotherapy for hematologic malignancies.
• To highlight the role of leukemia-associated antigens (LAA) in developing targeted immunotherapies.
• To discuss various ongoing clinical trials involving different cellular immunotherapy approaches.

Summary:

• Leukemia-associated antigens (LAA) such as WT1, PR-3, RHAMM, BCR-ABL, and Aur-A are recognized by cytotoxic T cells (CTL) in the context of HLA class I molecules.
• Various cellular immunotherapy strategies are under investigation, including tumor peptide vaccination, adoptive T cell therapy, NK cell therapy, and dendritic cells-cytokine induced killer (DC-CIK) cell therapy.
• These approaches aim to eliminate residual or relapsed leukemia cells more effectively and with potentially reduced toxicity compared to conventional chemotherapy.

Impact:

• Cellular immunotherapy holds promise for overcoming chemotherapy resistance and relapse in hematologic malignancies.
• Advancements in identifying leukemia-specific antigens are crucial for developing effective and targeted immunotherapies.
• Ongoing clinical trials will determine the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of these novel treatments for leukemia patients.