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Published on: November 28, 2019
Latent effector T cells mediate immunotherapy responses in the bone marrow microenvironment
Niklas Kehl1, Tim R Wagner1, Simon Steiger2
1German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), JRG Hematology and Immune Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Core Center Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
Tumor-reactive T cells in multiple myeloma (MM) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) possess a unique effector program. A new classifier, TFiT, identifies these cells and predicts immunotherapy response in bone marrow cancers.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
- Genomics
Background:
- T cell-mediated immune surveillance is crucial for cancer control.
- Its role in bone marrow malignancies like multiple myeloma (MM) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize tumor-reactive T cells in the bone marrow of MM and AML patients.
- To identify potential biomarkers for immunotherapy response.
Main Methods:
- Integrated TCR profiling, HLA immunopeptidomics, and functional screening.
- Development of a transcriptional classifier (TFiT) for tumor-reactive T cells.
Main Results:
- Identified a conserved effector program in bone marrow tumor-reactive T cells, distinct from exhausted T cells in solid tumors.
- Discovered a shared antigen landscape with noncanonical peptides driving T cell responses.
- TFiT classifier accurately stratified immunotherapy response in MM and AML patients.
Conclusions:
- A latent but activatable anti-tumor T cell compartment exists in bone marrow malignancies.
- TFiT provides a framework for engaging endogenous immunity and predicting immunotherapy efficacy in MM and AML.
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