About this Research Topic
Cancer cells escape the immune system through interactions with immune checkpoints. While inhibiting interactions between T and tumor cells has become a cornerstone in the therapy of solid tumors, less is known about the therapeutic relevance and potential of blocking tumor cell interactions with other cellular components of the immune system. In particular, inhibition of macrophage checkpoints in solid and hematological malignancies is a rapidly developing field. Specifically, blocking the interaction between the immunoglobulin superfamily member CD47 on cancer cells and the inhibitory macrophage receptor SIRPα is the most advanced and promising therapeutic approach currently investigated in multiple clinical trials. In addition, other macrophage checkpoints such as the CD24-Siglec10 and the MHC-LILRB1 interactions exist and may also be clinically exploited. In this research topic we aim at providing a comprehensive data collection covering the most recent, cutting-edge developments in leveraging macrophage checkpoints to fight cancer.
In this Research Topic, we would like to address the following problems:
Basic understanding of macrophage checkpoints
• What are the factors that govern the response to macrophage checkpoint inhibition (including the microbiome)?
• Which types of macrophage subsets are involved in this process
• What role do other cells of the immune system play (e.g., T cells)?
• What is the role of macrophage checkpoint molecules expressed on other cells (e.g., dendritic cells, neutrophils, tumor cells)?
Preclinical modelling of macrophage checkpoint inhibition
• Which tumors are the most sensitive to this therapeutic intervention?
• To give an overview about compounds targeting macrophage checkpoints and their mechanism of action (e.g., bispecific antibodies)
• How can the response to macrophage checkpoint inhibition be improved?
• What is the potential of macrophage genetic engineering/ optimization for cellular therapies?
• Which models are suited to assess the therapeutic potential of macrophage checkpoint inhibition?
This research topic aims at covering the basic mechanisms that govern the response to the therapeutic inhibition of macrophage immune checkpoints and advances in preclinical modeling. This knowledge will be of crucial importance for the design of future clinical trials and the prediction of adverse events.
This Research Topics accepts the following article types: original research, systematic review and mini-review articles
Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this topic.
In this Research Topic, we would like to address the following problems:
Basic understanding of macrophage checkpoints
• What are the factors that govern the response to macrophage checkpoint inhibition (including the microbiome)?
• Which types of macrophage subsets are involved in this process
• What role do other cells of the immune system play (e.g., T cells)?
• What is the role of macrophage checkpoint molecules expressed on other cells (e.g., dendritic cells, neutrophils, tumor cells)?
Preclinical modelling of macrophage checkpoint inhibition
• Which tumors are the most sensitive to this therapeutic intervention?
• To give an overview about compounds targeting macrophage checkpoints and their mechanism of action (e.g., bispecific antibodies)
• How can the response to macrophage checkpoint inhibition be improved?
• What is the potential of macrophage genetic engineering/ optimization for cellular therapies?
• Which models are suited to assess the therapeutic potential of macrophage checkpoint inhibition?
This research topic aims at covering the basic mechanisms that govern the response to the therapeutic inhibition of macrophage immune checkpoints and advances in preclinical modeling. This knowledge will be of crucial importance for the design of future clinical trials and the prediction of adverse events.
This Research Topics accepts the following article types: original research, systematic review and mini-review articles
Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this topic.
Keywords: Macrophages, Immunotherapy, CD47-SIRPalfa, Immune checkpoints, Innate immunity
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
