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Leukemia: Molecular Immune Mechanisms

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: closed (20 June 2026) | Viewed by 2460

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Guest Editor
Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute and Karolinska University Hospital Solna, 17164 Stockholm, Sweden
Interests: targeted cancer therapy; tyrosine kinase inhibitors; small molecule inhibitors; apoptosis; monoclonal antibodies; immunomodulators; leukemia; lymphoma; acquired drug resistance; intracellular signaling
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Leukemia is a group of blood cancers characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of white blood cells, presenting a significant health concern for humans. Understanding the molecular and immune mechanisms involved is crucial for developing effective therapies. Key factors that can lead to leukemia include the following: 1. Genetic Mutations and Alterations: This encompasses mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes (e.g., FLT3, NPM1, and TP53) as well as chromosomal translocations (e.g., BCR-ABL in chronic myeloid leukemia). 2. Immune Evasion Mechanisms: These involve an immunosuppressive microenvironment that protects leukemia cells from the immune response. 3. Immune Cell Dysfunction: This includes altered T cell function and impairment of Natural Killer cells. 4. Cytokine Networks: The presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cytokine storms can contribute to leukemia progression. 5. Changes in the Bone Marrow Microenvironment: Interactions within the niche and components of the extracellular matrix play a role in leukemia cell survival and proliferation. Various treatment approaches are being explored, including small molecule inhibitors and immunotherapy strategies such as CAR T-cell therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors. In conclusion, the relationship between leukemic cells and the immune system is complex and involves genetic, molecular, and environmental factors. Advances in understanding these mechanisms are paving the way for new therapeutic strategies that utilize the immune system to more effectively combat leukemia. Ongoing research in these areas is essential for improving patient outcomes.

Dr. Mohammad Hojjat-Farsangi
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • leukemia
  • immune system
  • Genetic Mutations and Alterations
  • Immune Evasion Mechanisms
  • Immune Cell Dysfunction
  • Cytokine Networks
  • Bone Marrow Microenvironment
  • immunotherapy strategies

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1641 KB  
Article
Early Marrow Microenvironment Immune Patterns After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Are Associated with Later Development of Chronic GvHD and Relapse
by Catherine M. Njeru, Bernard Ng, Sayeh Abdossamadi, Alima Suleimenova, Carmen Dolores De Luca, Vaishnavi Parthasarathy, Laura M. Sly, Gregor S. D. Reid, Chia Huan Ng and Kirk R. Schultz
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(5), 2338; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27052338 - 2 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is a curative therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but its success is limited by chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) and disease relapse. A central challenge is uncoupling the graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) effect from cGvHD. Early changes in the bone [...] Read more.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is a curative therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but its success is limited by chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) and disease relapse. A central challenge is uncoupling the graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) effect from cGvHD. Early changes in the bone marrow microenvironment following HSCT may offer a predictive window into these divergent outcomes. We conducted a retrospective, single-center, exploratory study on 14 pediatric ALL HSCT patients. Applying single-cell antibody-sequencing (AbSeq) on archived bone marrow aspirates collected 60–100 days post-HSCT, we evaluated immune patterns associated with the development of cGvHD or ALL relapse after day 114. cGvHD after day 114 was associated with upregulation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress transcription factor XBP1 in transitional B cell and IgM memory B cell populations, a minclehighPD1 neutrophil population, and exhausted LAG3+ effector memory T cells (TEM). ALL relapse after day 114 was associated with higher CD22, CD24, and ARG1 expression in M(IL-4)-like macrophages and exhausted TIGIT+ TEM. Results from this exploratory study suggest that marrow immune signatures of B cell ER stress preceding later development of cGvHD and macrophage-mediated immune evasion preceding relapse may potentially be early biomarkers for separating GvL from cGvHD in ALL HSCT. Validation with larger cohorts is warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Leukemia: Molecular Immune Mechanisms)
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Review

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25 pages, 1205 KB  
Review
STAT3 as a Candidate Shared Regulator of the CXCR4/CXCL12 and CXCR5/CXCL13 Homing Axes in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
by Aviwe Ntsethe
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(14), 6099; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27146099 - 8 Jul 2026
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Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterised by the dependence of malignant cells on specialised tissue microenvironments within the bone marrow (BM) and secondary lymphoid organs (SLOs), which provide essential survival and proliferative signals. The CXCR4/CXCL12 and CXCR5/CXCL13 chemokine axes direct the trafficking of [...] Read more.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterised by the dependence of malignant cells on specialised tissue microenvironments within the bone marrow (BM) and secondary lymphoid organs (SLOs), which provide essential survival and proliferative signals. The CXCR4/CXCL12 and CXCR5/CXCL13 chemokine axes direct the trafficking of CLL cells into these anatomically distinct compartments, where stromal-derived survival signals protect them from both spontaneous and therapy-induced apoptosis. Although each chemokine axis has been extensively studied individually, no previous review has integrated both pathways into a unified mechanistic framework. This review proposes that the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) function as a shared molecular hub that integrates niche-derived cytokine signals, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, and IL-21, and may transcriptionally upregulate both CXCR4 and CXCR5, and reinforce tissue homing through a positive feedback loop. This review seeks to evaluate the expression, signalling, and clinical significance of each axis, their points of convergence and divergence and the therapeutic strategies that disrupt these parallel homing pathways. Complementing this framework, recent clinical evidence indicates that circulating CXCL13 serves as a robust prognostic biomarker in CLL, and that STAT3 inhibition may overcome bone marrow stromal-mediated cytoprotection. The CXCL12-CXCR4-STAT3-IL-10 immunosuppressive axis further drives T-cell exhaustion. Together, these pathways form an integrated oncogenic network that supports CLL cell survival, drives immune dysfunction, and promotes therapy resistance. Several important knowledge gaps remain. These include the lack of direct validation of the STAT3-CXCR5 transcriptional axis in primary CLL cells and uncertainty regarding whether CXCR4/CXCR5 dominance represents a stable transcriptional programme or a dynamic, microenvironment-driven process. Addressing these questions through single-cell transcriptomics, spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, and functional validation studies will be essential for developing rational combination therapies capable of simultaneously disrupting both homing axes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Leukemia: Molecular Immune Mechanisms)
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