CD47: a promising target for immunotherapy in relapsed/refractory malignant lymphoma

CD47 is an immune checkpoint molecule widely expressed on various cell types and has emerged as a key target in cancer immunotherapy due to its role in mediating tumor immune escape via the 'don't eat me' signal. In lymphoma, CD47 expression shows heterogeneity across subtypes, with elevated levels closely linked to poor prognosis. Mechanistically, CD47 blockade exerts dual effects: on one hand, it relieves the inhibition of macrophage phagocytosis via the CD47/SIRPα pathway, thereby enhancing tumor clearance; on the other hand, it may also disrupt CD47-mediated signaling pathways involving thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and integrins, thus exerting multifaceted anti-tumor effects. Although CD47-targeting approaches face clinical challenges like off-target toxicity and transient responses, emerging strategies combining CD47 inhibition with other therapies or utilizing gene editing show promise for overcoming resistance. By integrating evidence on CD47 expression and mechanisms, this review assesses its therapeutic potential in lymphoma to guide future clinical applications.