About this Research Topic
T lymphocytes are pivotal constituents of the adaptive immune repertoire, endowed with the proficiency to discern and extirpate neoplastic cells. However, T cells can also become dysfunctional due to various factors, such as tumor-induced exhaustion, infection, or inflammation Such impairment in T lymphocyte functionality can significantly attenuate the anti-neoplastic immunological reaction, thereby undermining the therapeutic potential of immunomodulatory interventions. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms and consequences of T-cell dysfunction is crucial for developing novel strategies to enhance cancer immunotherapy.
The goal of this Research Topic collection is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge and challenges in the field of T cell dysfunction in cancer immunity and immunotherapy. It will cover topics such as:
- The molecular and cellular pathways that regulate T cell dysfunction and activation in the tumor microenvironment
- The phenotypic and functional heterogeneity of dysfunctional T cells and their subsets
- The impact of T cell dysfunction on tumor progression, metastasis, and immune escape
- The biomarkers and methods to assess T cell dysfunction and immunotherapy response
- The therapeutic approaches to reverse or modulate T cell dysfunction using different approaches like chimeric antigen receptor, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and vaccinations.
This research topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that address the following aspects:
- Elucidating the molecular and cellular underpinnings of T cell dysfunctions and their impact on the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB).
- Advancing and validating innovative methodologies for the investigation of T cell dysfunction, including but not limited to mass cytometry, single-cell RNA sequencing, and TCR repertoire analysis.
- Exploring the therapeutic potential of immune checkpoint blockade in restoring T cell function and enhancing cancer immunity.
- Discussing the challenges and prospects of addressing T cell dysfunction, with an eye towards shaping the future landscape of cancer immunotherapy research and clinical application.
Lastly, we wish to encourage authors to present work that not only deepens the understanding of T cell dynamics but also propels the field towards novel therapeutic horizons.
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.
The goal of this Research Topic collection is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge and challenges in the field of T cell dysfunction in cancer immunity and immunotherapy. It will cover topics such as:
- The molecular and cellular pathways that regulate T cell dysfunction and activation in the tumor microenvironment
- The phenotypic and functional heterogeneity of dysfunctional T cells and their subsets
- The impact of T cell dysfunction on tumor progression, metastasis, and immune escape
- The biomarkers and methods to assess T cell dysfunction and immunotherapy response
- The therapeutic approaches to reverse or modulate T cell dysfunction using different approaches like chimeric antigen receptor, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and vaccinations.
This research topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that address the following aspects:
- Elucidating the molecular and cellular underpinnings of T cell dysfunctions and their impact on the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB).
- Advancing and validating innovative methodologies for the investigation of T cell dysfunction, including but not limited to mass cytometry, single-cell RNA sequencing, and TCR repertoire analysis.
- Exploring the therapeutic potential of immune checkpoint blockade in restoring T cell function and enhancing cancer immunity.
- Discussing the challenges and prospects of addressing T cell dysfunction, with an eye towards shaping the future landscape of cancer immunotherapy research and clinical application.
Lastly, we wish to encourage authors to present work that not only deepens the understanding of T cell dynamics but also propels the field towards novel therapeutic horizons.
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: Cancer immunotherapy, Immune response assessment, Tumor microenvironment analysis, Predictive biomarkers, Personalized immunotherapy optimization, Immune checkpoint blockade
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.
