Tumour immunology articles from across Nature Portfolio

Effector CD8⁺ T cells with cytotoxic ability are crucial for immunotherapy success. Two studies show that salt (NaCl) supplementation can enhance the effector function of CD8⁺ T cells and boost their antitumor responses.

Immunocytokines are cytokine-based fusion proteins with therapeutic potential. New CD45-targeted immunocytokines can reprogram systemic anti-tumor immunity by prolonged retention on T cells and dendritic cells while minimizing systemic toxicities through intratumoral delivery.

Tumor cells in emerging cancers modify their gene expression to avoid immune control, a process known as immunoediting. We found that genome-wide gene expression changes in breast tumors after oncogene induction in genetically engineered mice were dominated by the epigenetic repression of innate and adaptive immune genes. Immunoevasion by tumors was reversed by a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor.

Histone H3-mutant gliomas are deadly brain tumours and the tumour microenvironment is not fully understood. Here the authors profile the immune microenvironment from human samples and mouse models and implicate myeloid cells in immune suppression and show inhibition of myeloid cells and checkpoint blockade demonstrates therapeutic benefits in mice.

Loss of MEN1 affects tumor growth, varing with the components of the tumor microenvironment. These tumors show redistribution of MLL1 on chromatin and the activation of a viral mimicry response.

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has shown promising activity in patients with advanced endometrial cancer, however its potential in the context of loco-regional disease remains unclear. Here the authors report the results of a phase I trial of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab (anti-PD1) in patients with mismatch repair deficient resectable endometrial cancer.

Hockemeyer et al. demonstrate that HSF1 activation inhibits cytokine production and cytotoxic activity in NK cells to impair anti-tumour immune responses.

Effector CD8⁺ T cells with cytotoxic ability are crucial for immunotherapy success. Two studies show that salt (NaCl) supplementation can enhance the effector function of CD8⁺ T cells and boost their antitumor responses.

Immunocytokines are cytokine-based fusion proteins with therapeutic potential. New CD45-targeted immunocytokines can reprogram systemic anti-tumor immunity by prolonged retention on T cells and dendritic cells while minimizing systemic toxicities through intratumoral delivery.

Tumor cells in emerging cancers modify their gene expression to avoid immune control, a process known as immunoediting. We found that genome-wide gene expression changes in breast tumors after oncogene induction in genetically engineered mice were dominated by the epigenetic repression of innate and adaptive immune genes. Immunoevasion by tumors was reversed by a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor.

The tumour microenvironment propagates stress responses in resident cells. In tumour-infiltrating natural killer (NK) cells, the HSF1 transcription factor binds to mediators of effector function, negatively regulating NK cytotoxicity. These findings provide important mechanistic insights that may enhance NK cell cancer therapy.

Epigenetic therapy triggers myriad transposable elements to generate new antigens that could prime tumor cells for immunotherapy. A study of glioblastoma discovers indiscriminate activation in healthy cells as well, and presents a more selective strategy for potential therapeutic targeting.