ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Molecular Immunopathogenesis and Treatment of Hematological Malignancies

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 615

Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Hematology, Japanese Red Cross Nagasaki Genbaku Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan
Interests: lymphoma; hematology; multiple myeloma; hematological malignancies; chemotherapy; hematologic diseases; clinical hematology; myelodysplastic syndromes; leukemia; acute myeloid leukemia

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hematological malignancies arise through complex interactions between genetic/epigenetic alterations, clonal evolution and dysregulated immune surveillance within specialized hematopoietic and lymphoid microenvironments. Recent advances in molecular diagnostics (e.g., targeted sequencing, fusion detection, copy-number profiling and measurable residual disease assessment) have refined disease classification and risk stratification, while simultaneously uncovering actionable vulnerabilities. In parallel, progress in immunology and immune monitoring has revealed how immune cell composition, activation/exhaustion states, antigen presentation and immune escape shape clinical phenotypes and therapeutic responses. These insights are particularly relevant in the era of precision medicine, where targeted agents and immunotherapies (including monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies and cellular therapies) have not only transformed treatment landscapes but also introduced new mechanisms of resistance and toxicity.

This Special Issue aims to provide a focused platform for original research and state-of-the-art reviews that illuminate molecular immunopathogenesis and translate mechanistic insights into improved diagnostics, biomarker-driven stratification and therapeutic strategies for hematological malignancies.

Dr. Tatsuro Jo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hematological malignancies
  • molecular pathogenesis
  • tumor microenvironment
  • immunogenomics
  • clonal evolution
  • biomarkers
  • immune monitoring
  • T-cell receptor repertoire
  • targeted therapy
  • immunotherapy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

27 pages, 15048 KB  
Article
Clinical Outcomes and Exploratory Longitudinal CTL/Vβ Repertoire Remodeling in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Follicular Lymphoma Treated with Epcoritamab
by Tatsuro Jo, Jun Taguchi, Yasushi Sawayama, Masatoshi Matsuo, Kaho Umemoto, Kaori Yamaguchi, Kazuhiro Noguchi, Takahiro Sakai, Saori Ikegami, Rena Baba, Tomoya Inoue, Sadaharu Irie, Kuniko Abe, Kazuto Shigematsu and Yasushi Miyazaki
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(11), 5132; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27115132 - 5 Jun 2026
Viewed by 414
Abstract
Epcoritamab, a subcutaneous CD3×CD20 bispecific antibody, has shown substantial activity in relapsed or refractory (R/R) B-cell lymphomas, but the immunological correlates of durable remission and treatment discontinuation remain unclear. We retrospectively analyzed 21 consecutive patients who initiated epcoritamab at our institution between 1 [...] Read more.
Epcoritamab, a subcutaneous CD3×CD20 bispecific antibody, has shown substantial activity in relapsed or refractory (R/R) B-cell lymphomas, but the immunological correlates of durable remission and treatment discontinuation remain unclear. We retrospectively analyzed 21 consecutive patients who initiated epcoritamab at our institution between 1 December 2023 and 31 December 2025, including 17 with R/R large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) and 4 with R/R follicular lymphoma (FL). Clinical follow-up was updated through 18 May 2026. Serial cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) subset and T-cell receptor (TCR) Vβ repertoire analyses were performed in selected cases. Among response-evaluable patients, the overall response rate was 9/14 in LBCL and 4/4 in FL. Median overall survival was 431 days in LBCL and 431.5 days in FL. Progression-free survival was analyzed descriptively because of the small sample size and substantial censoring. A patient with clinically and radiologically suspected central nervous system relapse of LBCL achieved radiological complete remission after epcoritamab treatment. In two LBCL and one FL case in whom epcoritamab was electively discontinued after complete remission, Vβ-skewed CTL populations were observed, and total memory CTLs exceeded total effector CTLs at discontinuation. These exploratory findings suggest that epcoritamab treatment may be associated with longitudinal remodeling of CTL subsets and Vβ-skewed CTL populations in selected responders. The potential relevance of these immunological patterns to durable response and treatment discontinuation should be validated in larger prospective cohorts with functional and sequence-based T-cell analyses. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop