Journal of Cancer Immunology

Mini Review Open Access

Phosphopeptide Neoantigens as Emerging Targets in Cancer Immunotherapy

Apoorvi Tyagi , Yury Patskovsky , Iryna Voloshyna , Michelle Krogsgaard

Protein post-translational modifications play a vital role in various cellular events essential for maintaining cellular physiology and homeostasis. In cancer cells, aberrant post-translational modifications such as glycosylation, acetylation, and phosphorylation on proteins can result in the generation of antigenic peptide variants presented in complex with MHC molecules. These modified peptides add to the class of tumor-specific antigens and offer promising avenues for targeted anti- cancer therapies. In this review, we focus on the role of phosphorylated peptides (p-peptides) in cancer immunity.

Commentary Open Access

A Blood-based Metabolite Signature for Personalized Risk Assessment of Pancreatic Cancer

Ricardo A León-Letelier , Yihui Chen , Riccardo Ballaro , Ehsan Irajizad , Kim-An Do , Anirban Maitra , Jianjun Zhang , C Max Schmidt , Johannes F. Fahrmann

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Modeling studies project PDAC to be the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality by 2040. Poor survival rates are attributed to the overwhelming majority (>80%) of patients presenting with locally advanced or metastatic disease, which precludes surgical resection and possibility of a long-term cure. 

Mini Review Open Access

Tolerogenic De-liver-y: Glycopolymer-mediated Approaches to Induce Antigen-specific Tolerance

Ian Christopher McKnight , Stephane Lajoie , David Scott Wilson

Numerous autoimmune diseases, which currently affect a sizable portion of the global population, are driven by aberrant autoantigen-specific T cell responses that result in tissue destruction and loss of function. Current therapeutics for autoimmunity are non-curative and rely on global immunosuppression, leaving patients vulnerable to opportunistic infections and malignancies. An ideal approach would suppress autoantigen-specific T cell responses while leaving the remainder of the immune system intact

Commentary Open Access

Effects of Tumor-derived Small Extracellular Vesicles on T cell Survival in Patients with Cancer; A Commentary

Theresa L. Whiteside

Tumor-induced immune suppression has been recognized as one of the major barriers for cancer immune therapies, including checkpoint inhibitors. Immunosuppressive mechanisms that tumors utilize to silence anti-tumor immune cells are numerous and differ between tumor types. 

Commentary Open Access

Beyond the Mutation: A Closer Look at Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome

Alamin Alkundi , Basma Bakhiet

This commentary aims to delve into the diagnostic challenges associated with Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) syndrome, as outlined in the BMJ case report titled “A Case of Phaeochromocytoma in a Female Patient with Phenotypical Expressions for the Rare Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) Syndrome” (doi:10.1136/bcr-2022- 252362). BHD syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner and is caused by mutations in the FLCN gene on chromosome.