Atieh Raoufi

The sixth most prevalent malignancy in the world, head and neck cancer (HNC), is associated with high mortality rate. Several risk factors, such as Helicob

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), characterized by aggressive relapse and dismal survival, remains a formidable challenge despite conventional therapies. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T and natural killer (NK) cells have emerged as groundbreaking immunotherapies, offering targeted eradication of leukemic stem cells (LSCs) and resistant blasts. CAR-T cells, leveraging antigens like CD123 and CD33, demonstrate early clinical success, with complete remission rates up to 66% in refractory/relapsed (R/R) AML. CAR-NK cells complement this approach through inherent tumor surveillance, reduced toxicity, and "off-the-shelf" feasibility. However, barriers such as antigen escape, heterogeneous immunosuppressive microenvironments (including intratumoral microbiota variations), and on-target/off-tumor toxicity persist, limiting durable responses. Innovations in dual-targeting CARs, cytokine-armored constructs, and CRISPR-edited universal cells aim to overcome these hurdles. Emerging strategies integrating checkpoint inhibitors, metabolic modulators, and AI-driven antigen selection promise to enhance efficacy and safety. This review synthesizes the evolving landscape of CAR-T/NK therapies, critically analyzing preclinical breakthroughs, clinical trial outcomes, and persisting challenges. By addressing manufacturing scalability, cost barriers, and long-term safety, cellular immunotherapy holds transformative potential to redefine AML management. As the field advances, interdisciplinary collaboration and biomarker-guided personalization will be pivotal in translating laboratory innovations into life-saving therapies for AML patients.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a high-mortality cancer due to its aggressive nature and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which enables evasion of immune surveillance. Despite chemotherapy and targeted therapies, 5-year survival is ~ 30%, necessitating novel immunotherapies. AML suppresses cytotoxic T/NK cells by co-opting regulatory pathways, creating an “immune paradox.” Emerging strategies aim to disrupt this evasion. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as anti-PD-1 nivolumab and anti-CD47 magrolimab, combined with hypomethylating agents (HMAs), enhance T-cell activity and phagocytosis, especially in TP53-mutated AML. Therapeutic vaccines targeting leukemia-associated antigens (e.g., WT1, PRAME) via dendritic cell fusion show early success in prolonging remission. Combinatorial approaches, like HMAs with STING agonists or dual checkpoint blockade, target multiple immunosuppressive pathways to overcome resistance. Challenges include TME heterogeneity, therapy-resistant leukemia stem cells, toxicities (e.g., anemia, cytokine release syndrome), relapse from clonal evolution, and a lack of predictive biomarkers. Autologous therapies face economic and logistical hurdles, driving demand for scalable solutions. Advances in single-cell genomics, AI, and synthetic biology are identifying novel targets (TIM-3, TIGIT, VISTA) and improving patient stratification. Integrating these innovations may transform AML into a chronic condition, bridging preclinical potential to clinical impact. In this review, we aim to evaluate mechanisms, challenges, and future directions of immunotherapies in AML with highlighting ICIs and vaccination to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a heterogeneous and aggressive hematologic malignancy, remains challenging to treat due to high relapse rates, chemotherapy resistance, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). While traditional therapies like chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation have improved outcomes, their efficacy is often limited by toxicity and disease recurrence. Recent advancements in antibody engineering have revolutionized AML immunotherapy, offering precision-targeted strategies to overcome these barriers. This narrative review explores the transformative role of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) in redirecting immune effector cells, blocking immune checkpoints, and eradicating leukemic stem cells (LSCs). Key innovations include CD33-targeted gemtuzumab ozogamicin, CD123-directed bispecific engagers, and anti-CD47 agents that disrupt "don't eat me" signals. We highlight breakthroughs in antibody design-such as Fc optimization, trispecific constructs, and conditionally active biologics-that enhance specificity while minimizing on-target off-tumor toxicity. Clinical trials demonstrate promising results, including improved remission rates and survival in refractory/relapsed AML when combining antibodies with hypomethylating agents, venetoclax, or checkpoint inhibitors. However, challenges persist, including AML's genetic heterogeneity, adaptive immune evasion, and cytokine release syndrome (CRS) risks. Emerging strategies such as biomarker-driven personalization, TME modulation, and engineered NK-cell engagers are poised to address these limitations. By integrating preclinical insights with clinical data, this review underscores the potential of antibody-based combinatorial regimens to redefine AML therapy, offering durable responses and bridging the gap to curative approaches.

Graft-versus-host disease remains one of the most formidable barriers to the complete success of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation that has emerged as the curative approach for many hematopoietic malignancies because it affects quality of life and overall survival. Macrophages are among the important members of the immune system, which perform dual roles in GVHD as both therapeutic tools and targets. This review epitomizes the multifunctional role of macrophages in the pathophysiology of both acute and chronic GVHD. Macrophages play an important role in the early phase of GVHD because of their recruitment and infiltration into target organs. Furthermore, they polarize into two functionally different phenotypes, including M1 and M2. In the case of acute GVHD, most macrophages express the M1 phenotype characterized by the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines that contribute to tissue damage. In contrast, in chronic GVHD, macrophages tend toward the M2 phenotype associated with the repair of tissues and fibrosis. A critical balance among these phenotypes is central to the course and severity of GVHD. Further interactions of macrophages with other lymphocytes such as T cells, B cells, and fibroblast further determine the course of GVHD. Macrophage interaction associated with alloreactive T cells promotes inflammation. This is therefore important in inducing injuries of tissues during acute GVHD. Interaction of macrophages, B cell, fibroblast, and CD4+ T cells promotes fibrosis during chronic GVHD and, hence, the subsequent dysfunction of organs. These are some insights, while several challenges remain. First, the impact of the dominant cytokines in GVHD on the polarization of macrophages is incompletely characterized and sometimes controversial. Second, the development of targeted therapies able to modulate macrophage function without systemic side effects remains an area of ongoing investigation. Future directions involve the exploration of macrophage-targeted therapies, including small molecules, antibodies, and nanotechnology, which modulate macrophage behavior and improve patient outcomes. This underlines the fact that a profound understanding of the dual role of macrophages in GVHD is essential for developing new and more effective therapeutic strategies. Targeting macrophages might represent one avenue for decreasing the incidence and severity of GVHD and improving the success and safety of HSCT.