Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
Guarding epithelial integrity: origins of adaptive immunity and cancer immunosurveillance over time and space
While conventionally viewed as a defense against external pathogens, we posit that the adaptive immune system likely evolved primarily to preserve internal epithelial order. We propose that adaptive immunity, with combinatorial diversity emerging ~0.5…
Pharmacokinetic variability with pembrolizumab dosage switching and its impact on immune-related adverse events in patients with non-small cell lung cancer
Background
Pembrolizumab 400 mg every 6 weeks (Q6W) was approved based on population pharmacokinetic (pop-PK) modeling rather than pharmacokinetic measurements, leaving real-world concentrations insufficiently characterized. The impact of concentratio…
Translational landscape of cytokine-induced killer cell therapy: an analysis based on the Informa database
This study maps the global clinical trial landscape of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell therapy across malignancies and selected immune-related disorders, based on 199 interventional trials retrieved from the Informa database up to February 2026. An…
Lithocholic acid-activated VDR in macrophages promotes HCC recurrence post-ablation via SOCS3-mediated suppression of CXCL16
Background
Incomplete thermal ablation (iTA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) fosters an immunosuppressive microenvironment driving local recurrence, yet the metabolic cues linking tissue injury to immune evasion remain undefined. Bile acids, partic…
Lenalidomide boosts CD1d-V{delta}2 bispecific antibody-engaged V{gamma}9V{delta}2-T cell effector functions via CD28, Notch signaling and IL-2 release
Background
V9V2-T cells form a conserved T-cell subset known for its potent intrinsic antitumor activity and versatility in recognizing diverse cancer types independently of the major histocompatibility complex. Previously, we reported the preclinical…
Chimeric switch scaffold protein augments CAR synapse formation and signaling networks
Background
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has achieved clinical success in hematologic malignancies, but remains limited in solid tumors due to immune checkpoint-mediated suppression and intrinsic signaling constraints. Unlike T-cell r…
FLT3L-secreting cDC1 in situ vaccination enhances antitumor immunity and synergizes with PD-1 blockade in murine non-small cell lung cancer
Background
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) frequently evades immune surveillance through defective antigen presentation and a suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), limiting the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Conventional type 1 d…
Sequential involvement of hypoxia and anti-PD-1 treatment in shaping tumor-regional CD39+CD8+ T cells highlights immunotherapy-resistant features in NSCLC
Background
Understanding resistance to anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy is critical for developing reversal strategies. Although ectonucleotidase CD39 (ENTPD1) (CD39)+ cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8)+ T cells have been associated…
Emerging role of microRNAs as modulators of the tumor immune microenvironment
The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has transformed the treatment landscape of several malignancies, but durable clinical benefits are only observed in a subset of patients. Primary and acquired resistance to immunotherapy, largely drive…