Understanding Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: The Role of Tumour Cells and Immune Microenvironment

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Tumor Microenvironment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 November 2024) | Viewed by 3523

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Pathology Unit, Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University Federico II of Naples, 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: pathology; surgical pathology; oncologic pathology; molecular pathology; dermatopathology; hematopathology; head and neck pathology; endocrine pathology; nodal and extranodal lymphoma
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The dynamic interaction of neoplastic cells with the surrounding microenvironment, comprised of stromal cells and an extracellular matrix, is essential. This process promises to support the heterogeneity of the tumour compartment, and to assist in overcoming inadequate responses to therapy and increased multidrug resistance.

In this context, Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), one of the most enigmatic cancers in which few neoplastic cells are within an abundant but ineffective immune ecosystem, represents a paradigmatic tumour for study.

The pathways associated with the development and homeostasis of tissues, such as NF-κB, Notch, JAK/STAT, and, as increasingly demonstrated by more advanced studies, the tumour microenvironment, are involved in the pathogenesis of this disease.

B and T non-neoplastic lymphocytes, with their subpopulations, plasma cells, macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, mast cells and natural killer cells are, albeit in different ways, essential for the growth and survival of Sternberg/Hodgkin (RS/H cells).

HRS cells functionally reprogram non-neoplastic elements via the cross-talk complex to receive survival stimuli and escape immune surveillance. However, the underlying links between the tumour and the microenvironment are not fully established and require further investigation.

For this Special Issue, we welcome articles or reviews on discoveries or new concepts to clarify the interaction between cancer, non-neoplastic cells and stroma, emphasise how this could be targeted to reduce tumour progression and loss of response to therapy, and highlight the prospects for improvement in patient management.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Massimo Mascolo
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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11 pages, 9942 KiB  
Article
Microenvironmental Traits of Classical Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in Adolescents and Their Prognostic Impact
by Clara Bertuzzi, Simona Righi, Giovanna Motta, Maura Rossi, Matteo Carella, Giulia Gabrielli, Elena Facchini, Maurizio Baldassarre, Arcangelo Prete, Pier Luigi Zinzani, Massimo Mascolo, Claudio Agostinelli and Elena Sabattini
Cancers 2024, 16(24), 4210; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16244210 - 18 Dec 2024
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Abstract
Background. Classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cHL) in adolescents between 15 and 18 years old shows a higher disease-related mortality, and the overall prognosis is worse than in both children and adults. Objectives. We investigated the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) therapeutic targets and specific T-regulatory [...] Read more.
Background. Classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cHL) in adolescents between 15 and 18 years old shows a higher disease-related mortality, and the overall prognosis is worse than in both children and adults. Objectives. We investigated the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) therapeutic targets and specific T-regulatory and cytotoxic T-cell subsets in the subgroup of adolescent cHL patients, and we challenged their prognostic power. Methods. We retrieved formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue of adolescent patients diagnosed with cHL and tested by immunohistochemistry the immune checkpoint molecules CTLA-4, LAG-3, PD-1, and PDL1 as well as the biological markers FOXP3 and CD8. Results. All the cases of our cohort expressed the immune checkpoint molecules CTLA-4, LAG-3, and PD-1 in microenvironment (ME), and the number of PD1+ cells was strongly associated with advanced disease, being higher in stage III/IV, indicating a possible role in the progression of cHL. A higher risk of recurrence and progression occurred in patients with lower amount of CD8+ microenvironmental T-cells at diagnosis (67.14 ± 27.23 vs. 42.86 ± 17.33 p = 0.032 and 65.59 ± 26.68 vs. 37 ± 17.45 p = 0.046, respectively). Conclusions. We showed that microenvironment of cHL in adolescent patients is enriched with potential therapeutic targets of ICPI that may be considered for therapeutic applications. Furthermore, the presence of PD-1 expressing T-cells strongly relates to advanced stage disease and a low density of CD8+ T lymphocytes is associated with recurrence and progression of disease. Full article
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Review

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21 pages, 2319 KiB  
Review
Prognostic Markers within the Tumour Microenvironment in Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma
by Arina Martynchyk, Rakin Chowdhury, Eliza A. Hawkes and Colm Keane
Cancers 2023, 15(21), 5217; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15215217 - 30 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2240
Abstract
Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) accounts for 0.4% of all new cancer cases globally. Despite high cure rates with standard treatment, approximately 15% of patients still experience relapsed or refractory (RR) disease, and many of these eventually die from lymphoma-related causes. Exciting new targeted [...] Read more.
Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) accounts for 0.4% of all new cancer cases globally. Despite high cure rates with standard treatment, approximately 15% of patients still experience relapsed or refractory (RR) disease, and many of these eventually die from lymphoma-related causes. Exciting new targeted agents such as anti-PD-1 agents and brentuximab vedotin have changed the therapeutic paradigm beyond chemotherapy and radiotherapy alone. Advances in understanding of the molecular biology are providing insights in the context of novel therapies. The signature histology of cHL requires the presence of scant malignant Hodgkin Reed–Sternberg cells (HRSCs) surrounded by a complex immune-rich tumour microenvironment (TME). The TME cellular composition strongly influences outcomes, yet knowledge of the precise characteristics of TME cells and their interactions with HRSCs is evolving. Novel high-throughput technologies and single-cell sequencing allow deeper analyses of the TME and mechanisms elicited by HRSCs to propagate growth and avoid immune response. In this review, we explore the evolution of knowledge on the prognostic role of immune cells within the TME and provide an up-to-date overview of emerging prognostic data on cHL from new technologies that are starting to unwind the complexity of the cHL TME and provide translational insights into how to improve therapy in the clinic. Full article
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