Exploration of Genetic and Genomic Features Associated with Tumor Immunity and Immunotherapy Response
1China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
2University Health Network, Ontario, Canada
3Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
Exploration of Genetic and Genomic Features Associated with Tumor Immunity and Immunotherapy Response
Description
Recently, immunotherapeutic strategies, such as immune checkpoint blockade and Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CAR-T), have achieved success in treating various cancers. In particular, immune checkpoint inhibitors, which inhibit CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4), PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1), or PD-L1 (programmed cell death 1 ligand), have been used for the therapy of many advanced malignancies. Nevertheless, currently only a small proportion of cancer patients can respond to such therapies. To this end, a wealth of studies have identified certain genetic or genomic features that are associated with cancer immunotherapy response, such as PD-L1 expression, DNA mismatch repair deficiency or microsatellite instability, and tumor mutation burden. In addition, tumor heterogeneity and stemness may confer cancer immunotherapy resistance.
In general, immunotherapy often exhibits better efficiency for “hot” tumors (with high immune infiltration) than for “cold” tumors (with low immune infiltration). Therefore, to enhance the immunotherapy response in “cold” tumors, the combination of multiple treatment strategies to convert “cold” tumors into “hot” tumors has been explored, including the combination of different immunotherapies and the combination of immunotherapy with other therapeutic strategies such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapies.
The aim of this Special Issue is to collate papers with a focus on uncovering new genetic and genomic features associated with tumor immunity and immunotherapy response, as well as predictive biomarkers or therapeutic targets for improving immunotherapy response. Both original research and comprehensive review papers are welcome. Especially welcome research involving at least two classes of data among computational, experimental, and clinical data. New perspectives and methods are also welcome.
Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
- New biomarkers associated with tumor immunity
- New biomarkers for predicting immunotherapy response
- New interventional targets for improving immunotherapy response
- Discovery of neoantigens or molecular targets for cancer immunotherapy
- Tumor immune microenvironment
- Immunogenomics
- Correlation between tumor immunity and immunological disease