T cells in multiple myeloma: is this a reliable population to count on as antitumor effector cells?
Multiple Myeloma (MM) is still a long way from being cured. Disease evolution has been associated with a number of phenotypic and functional alterations in T cells, indicating that a progressive deterioration of cellular immunity might facilitate the negative outcome. Despite these correlations, specific interactions between tumor and T cells have been demonstrated indicating that a population liable to be exploited as antitumor effector cells exists in vivo. This review aims at recording some evidence obtained in our laboratory demonstrating that MM T cells, despite the variety of their alterations, can still generate potent antitumor activity. Adequate stimulation, however, is required to exploit this ability.
Massaia
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M
Dipartimento di Medicina e Oncologia Sperimentale, Universita' di Torino, Italy.
Pileri
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D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*