Journal of Cancer Immunology

Review Article Open Access

Emerging Potential of Plant Virus Nanoparticles (PVNPs) in Anticancer Immunotherapies

Mehdi Shahgolzari, Steven Fiering

Plant virus nanoparticles (PVNPs) are increasingly recognized and studied for use in biomedical applications. PVNPs include plant virions with self-assembled capsid protein coats (PC) that encapsulate the virus genome, and virus-like particles (VLPs), a capsid without the viral genome.

Commentary Open Access

Humanized Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells

Pouya Safarzadeh Kozani, Pooria Safarzadeh Kozani, Roddy S. O’Connor

In 1989, researchers proposed an intricate strategy in the field of adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Using the T-cell receptor (TCR) as a template, they replaced the coding sequence for the Vα and Vβ chains with the antigen- recognition domains from an antibody (VH and VL chains).

Review Article Open Access

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in the Management of Urothelial Carcinoma

Aakash Patel, Daniel I. Bisn, Hiren V. Patel, Saum Ghodoussipour, Biren Saraiya, Tina Mayer, Eric A. Singer

Bladder cancer is one of the most common and expensive cancers in the United States, with an expected 81,400 new cases and 17,980 deaths in 2020 alone. The incidence is increased among white men and diagnoses often occur in the 7th decade of life.

Commentary Open Access

Cervical Cancer Prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa and HPV Vaccination Policy: A Public Health Grand Challenge?

Eric Asempah

“Women are not dying because of diseases we cannot treat. They are dying because societies have yet to make the decision that their lives are worth saving.”

Review Article Open Access

Immunogenic Cell Death: A Step Ahead of Autophagy in Cancer Therapy

Gourab Gupta, Kristina Borglum, Hexin Chen

Cell Death has long been considered to be an inevitable part of the life cycle of a cell and hence, considered a familiar consequence of cellular life.

Review Article Open Access

SHP₂ Inhibition as a Promising Anti-cancer Therapy: Function in Tumor Cell Signaling and Immune Modulation

Jiawan Wang, Lindy Zhang, Christine A. Pratilas, Nicolas J. Llosa

The SHP2 phosphatase consists of one protein tyrosine phosphatase catalytic domain (PTP domain), two tandem Src homology 2 (SH2) domains (N-SH2 and C-SH2), and a C-terminal tail with two tyrosine phosphorylation sites (Tyr542 and Tyr580)

Review Article Open Access

Immunological Features with DNA Microsatellite Alterations in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Maide Ö. Raeker, John M. Carethers

DNA microsatellites are tandemly repeating short (1-6 base pairs) DNA motifs, such as mononucleotide (A)n, dinucleotide (CA)n, trinucleotide (CAG)n, and tetranucleotide (AAAG)n, with each motif potentially repeating up to 50 times.

Review Article Open Access

The Role of ERO1α in Modulating Cancer Progression and Immune Escape

Brennan D. Johnson, Werner J. Geldenhuys, Lori A. Hazlehurst

The failure to eradicate minimal residual disease often located at metastatic sites and/or the bone marrow niche continues to be a clinical barrier for successful treatments in cancer.

Commentary Open Access

Inhibition of Autophagy and Immune Response: Alpha-fetoprotein Stimulates Initiation of Liver Cancer

Mingyue Zhu, Mengsen Li

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a tumorous marker for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), it is synthesized mainly by the embryo yolk sac, fetal liver and the gastrointestinal tract. AFP belongs to the family of protein products of albuminoid genes, which are located in tandem arrangement in chromosome 4 (region 4q11-q13).

Editorial Open Access

CTLA-4 and PD-L₁ or PD_-1 Pathways: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Cancer Immunotherapy

Sachin Kumar Deshmukh

The immune system developed certain checks and balance to control or inhibit the reactivity against normal cells of the body. Uncontrolled immune responses to the non-self entities such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or mutated self-antigens can cause an inflammatory reaction and autoimmune diseases.

Review Article Open Access

pMB FLASH - Status and Perspectives of Combining Proton Minibeam with FLASH Radiotherapy

Judith Reindl, Stefanie Girst

Proton minibeam radiotherapy (pMBRT) is an external beam radiotherapy method with reduced side effects by taking advantage of spatial fractionation in the normal tissue. Due to scattering, the delivered small beams widen in the tissue ensuring a homogeneous dose distribution in the tumor. In this review, the physical and biological principles regarding dose distribution and healing effects are explained. In the last decade, several preclinical studies have been conducted addressing normal tissue sparing and tumor control in-vitro and in-vivo, using human skin tissue and mouse or rat models. The major results acquired in these studies are summarized. A further newly emerging therapy method is FLASH radiotherapy, i.e. the treatment using ultra-high dose rates. The possibility of combining these methods in proton minibeam FLASH therapy (pMB FLASH) is worked out. Additionally, technical feasibility and limitations will be discussed by looking at simulations as well as preclinical studies and also pointing out new ways of delivering the desired tumor dose, such as interlacing. We will also highlight the opportunities that emerge regarding high dose radiation, hypofractionation and the combination with immunotherapy.