The immune system is important for elimination of residual leukemic cells during acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapy. Anti-leukemia immune response can be inhibited by various mechanisms leading to immune evasion and disease relapse. Selected markers of immune escape were analyzed on AML cells from leukapheresis at diagnosis (N = 53). Hierarchical clustering of AML immunophenotypes yielded distinct genetic clusters. In the absence of DNMT3A mutation, NPM1 mutation was associated with decreased HLA expression and low levels of other markers (CLIP, PD-L1, TIM-3). Analysis of an independent cohort confirmed decreased levels of HLA transcripts in patients with NPM1 mutation. Samples with combined NPM1 and DNMT3A mutations had high CLIP surface amount suggesting reduced antigen presentation. TIM-3 transcript correlated not only with TIM-3 surface protein but also with CLIP and PD-L1. In our cohort, high levels of TIM-3/PD-L1/CLIP were associated with lower survival. Our results suggest that AML genotype is related to blast immunophenotype, and that high TIM-3 transcript levels in AML blasts could be a marker of immune escape. Cellular pathways regulating resistance to the immune system might contribute to the predicted response to standard therapy of patients in specific AML subgroups and should be targeted to improve AML treatment.

• Klíčová slova
• AML, DNMT3A, NPM1, TIM-3, immunophenotype,
• MeSH
• akutní myeloidní leukemie * diagnóza   genetika   MeSH
• antigeny CD274 genetika   MeSH
• biologické markery MeSH
• buněčný receptor 2 viru hepatitidy A genetika   MeSH
• DNA methyltransferasa 3A * genetika   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mutace MeSH
• nukleofosmin * genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antigeny CD274 MeSH
• biologické markery MeSH
• buněčný receptor 2 viru hepatitidy A MeSH
• DNA methyltransferasa 3A * MeSH
• DNMT3A protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• NPM1 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• nukleofosmin * MeSH

Accumulating evidence indicates that immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can restore CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) functions in preclinical models of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, ICIs targeting programmed cell death 1 (PDCD1, best known as PD-1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4) have limited clinical efficacy in patients with AML. Natural killer (NK) cells are central players in AML-targeting immune responses. However, little is known on the relationship between co-inhibitory receptors expressed by NK cells and the ability of the latter to control AML. Here, we show that hepatitis A virus cellular receptor 2 (HAVCR2, best known as TIM-3) is highly expressed by NK cells from AML patients, correlating with improved functional licensing and superior effector functions. Altogether, our data indicate that NK cell frequency as well as TIM-3 expression levels constitute prognostically relevant biomarkers of active immunity against AML.

• Klíčová slova
• Co-inhibitory receptor, innate lymphoid cells, lag-3, tigit, vista,
• MeSH
• akutní myeloidní leukemie * farmakoterapie   MeSH
• buněčný receptor 2 viru hepatitidy A * MeSH
• buňky NK * MeSH
• CD8-pozitivní T-lymfocyty MeSH
• cytotoxické T-lymfocyty MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• buněčný receptor 2 viru hepatitidy A * MeSH
• HAVCR2 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč