About the Special Issue

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) growth and maintenance is a complex process governed by several phenomena that coordinate the interaction of HSC and the surrounding bone marrow niche. Similarly, leukemic cells development and expansions relies on genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate the interaction between tumor cells and tumor microenvironment (TME) components. Immune cells, for example, serve a dual role during cancer initiation and progression, as they can defend against tumor progression by killing immunogenic neoplastic cells while also shaping tumor immunogenicity, contributing to tumor escape. The intricate interaction between leukemic cells and the immune TME determines the outcome of immunotherapy and many other anti-cancer therapies. 

In this Special Issue, we aim to better elucidate the mechanisms behind HSC and immune system interaction in order to better understand the pathologic interaction of HSC derived neoplasms and the TME. We welcome submissions aimed to update and improve our understanding of the pro- and anti-tumor activities of the main immune cell populations found in leukemia TME, such as T and NK cells, myeloid cells, innate lymphoid cells, mast cells, and eosinophils, as well as the underlying cytokine-, cell-cell contact-, and microvesicle-based mechanisms. Furthermore, present and innovative therapy strategies for interfering with leukemia associate bone marrow niche and reversing the immunosuppressive TME components will be reviewed. To that end, clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of cellular therapies, small molecules, immunogenic cell death-inducing chemotherapy, DNA methyl transferase and histone deacetylase inhibitors, cytokines or their inhibitors, and other immunotherapies in patients with acute and chronic leukemias, either myeloid or lymphoid, will be welcome. 

Understanding the complicated interplay that occurs between tumor and immune cells, as well as the experimental therapies that target it, would aid in the development of new combination treatments capable of overcoming tumor immune evasion mechanisms and optimizing the clinical benefit of current immunotherapies.

Keywords: Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC), leukemias, tissue microenvironment (TME), immune system, bone marrow niche, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, myeloid Leukemia, lymphoid Leukemia

Call for Papers