Immune biomarkers of increased infection risk in multiple myeloma

A Aintzane Zabaleta (Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada (CIMA), Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00369, Pamplona, Spain, Pamplona, Spain) L Luis-Esteban Tamariz-Amador I Ioannis V. Kostopoulos (2Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece) R Romanos Sklavenitis-Pistofidis F Febe Smits (6Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) P Paula Rodriguez-Otero C Carmen Roncal (1Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra, CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00369, Pamplona, Spain) M Michelle P. Aranha D David Zihala (9Department of Hematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava and Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic) M Michaela Machu (10Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic) N Nikolaos Tsakirakis (2Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece) P Panagiotis Bakouros (2Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece) O Ourania Tsitsilonis (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece) I Irene Solia (12Department of Clinical Therapeutics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece) C Cristina Moreno C Catarina Maia (1Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra, CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00369, Pamplona, Spain) E Esperanza Martin-Sanchez (1Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra, CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00369, Pamplona, Spain) J José J. Perez (13Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca Hematología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00233, Salamanca, Spain) C Cristina Encinas (14Department of Hematology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, liSGM, Madrid, Spain) R Rafael Ríos-Tamayo (Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain) A Albert Oriol (Institut Català d’Oncologia and Institut Josep Carreras, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain) M María-Jesús Blanchard (Hospital Ramon y Cajal, madrid, Spain) F Felipe de Arriba (18Department of Hematology, Hospital Morales Meseguer, IMIB Pascual Parrilla, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain) M María-Esther Gonzalez (19Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario Cabueñes, Gijón, Spain) S Sunil Lakhwani (Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna., San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain) A Anna Sureda (Institut Català d'Oncologia, Barcelona, Spain) V Valentin Cabañas (21Department of Hematology, IMIB Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain) F Fernando Escalante (22Department of Hematology, Complejo Hospitalario de León, León, Spain) E Estrella Carrillo-Cruz (23Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Hematología, Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIS/CSIC/CIBERONC), Universidad de Sevilla) A Albert Pérez-Montaña (24Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma, Spain) E Enrique M. Ocio (From Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Y.C.C., I.A.), and the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University (Y.C.C., H.M., I.A.), Tel Aviv, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan (H.M.), and Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem (M.G.) — all in Israel; McGill University and McGill University Health Centre, Montreal (M.S.), and Alberta Health Services, Edmonton (M.P.C.) — all in Canada; Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine (K.K.), Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Catholic University of Korea (C.-K.M.), and Seoul National University College of Medicine (S.-S.Y.) — all in Seoul, South Korea; Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander (E.M.O.), Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Center for Applied Medical Research, Pamplona (P.R.-O.), Institut Català d’Oncologia, Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, and the Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Barcelona (A.O.)...) J Joan Bargay (Hospital Universitario Son LLatzer, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa),, Palma de Mallorca, Spain) A Alberto Orfao T Tomas Jelinek (Department of Hemato-oncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic) I Irene M. Ghobrial T Tuna Mutis (6Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) S Sonja Zweegman E Evangelos Terpos E Efstathios Kastritis J Joaquín Martínez-López (Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre, Complutense University of Madrid, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, Madrid Institute of Cancer, Madrid) J Juan-Jose Lahuerta (Instituto de Investigación.Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain) C Carlos Fernandez de Larrea (29Department of Hematology, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain) L Laura Rosiñol (Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona) J Joan Bladé (Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Institut de Investicacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain) M María-Victoria Mateos J Jesus San-Miguel M Maria-Teresa Cedena N Noemi Puig B Bruno Paiva

Abstract

Abstract Infection remains a leading cause of morbidity in multiple myeloma. Preventing infections is paramount and immune profiling could reflect the cumulative effect of host-, tumor-, and treatment-related immunosuppression. However, current understanding of immune dysfunction and its association with infection is limited. To address this gap in knowledge and identify immune biomarkers of increased infection risk, we performed immune profiling using next-generation flow cytometry in bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from 1786 patients at various disease stages and treatment scenarios. Patients developing infection had significantly lower percentages of CD27+ B cells and CD27− natural killer cells, as well as an increased CD27−/CD27+ T-cell ratio in the bone marrow. These immune risk factors were validated in 3 independent data sets. An immune score was developed to stratify patients with ≤1 vs ≥2 of the aforementioned risk factors, which was associated with higher infection incidence (35% vs 60%, P< .001). The immune score (odds ratio, 2.31; P< .001), disease stage, and CD38-, B-cell maturation antigen-, or G protein-coupled receptor class C group 5 member D-targeted therapy were independently associated with infection incidence. All cell types detectable in the bone marrow and peripheral blood were significantly correlated, suggesting that immune biomarkers of increased infection risk could be monitored using minimally invasive methods that are available in routine laboratories.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 147, Issue 18
Published April 30, 2026
Pages 2081-2088
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (49)

A

Aintzane Zabaleta

Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada (CIMA), Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00369, Pamplona, Spain, Pamplona, Spain

L

Luis-Esteban Tamariz-Amador

I

Ioannis V. Kostopoulos

2Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

R

Romanos Sklavenitis-Pistofidis

F

Febe Smits

6Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

P

Paula Rodriguez-Otero

C

Carmen Roncal

1Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra, CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00369, Pamplona, Spain

M

Michelle P. Aranha

D

David Zihala

9Department of Hematooncology, University Hospital Ostrava and Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic

M

Michaela Machu

10Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

N

Nikolaos Tsakirakis

2Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

P

Panagiotis Bakouros

2Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

O

Ourania Tsitsilonis

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

I

Irene Solia

12Department of Clinical Therapeutics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

C

Cristina Moreno

C

Catarina Maia

1Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra, CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00369, Pamplona, Spain

E

Esperanza Martin-Sanchez

1Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria de Navarra, CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00369, Pamplona, Spain

J

José J. Perez

13Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca Hematología, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, CIBER-ONC number CB16/12/00233, Salamanca, Spain

C

Cristina Encinas

14Department of Hematology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, liSGM, Madrid, Spain

R

Rafael Ríos-Tamayo

Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain

A

Albert Oriol

Institut Català d’Oncologia and Institut Josep Carreras, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain

M

María-Jesús Blanchard

Hospital Ramon y Cajal, madrid, Spain

F

Felipe de Arriba

18Department of Hematology, Hospital Morales Meseguer, IMIB Pascual Parrilla, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain

M

María-Esther Gonzalez

19Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario Cabueñes, Gijón, Spain

S

Sunil Lakhwani

Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna., San Cristobal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain

A

Anna Sureda

Institut Català d'Oncologia, Barcelona, Spain

V

Valentin Cabañas

21Department of Hematology, IMIB Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain

F

Fernando Escalante

22Department of Hematology, Complejo Hospitalario de León, León, Spain

E

Estrella Carrillo-Cruz

23Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Hematología, Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIS/CSIC/CIBERONC), Universidad de Sevilla

A

Albert Pérez-Montaña

24Department of Hematology, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Palma, Spain

E

Enrique M. Ocio

From Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Y.C.C., I.A.), and the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University (Y.C.C., H.M., I.A.), Tel Aviv, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan (H.M.), and Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem (M.G.) — all in Israel; McGill University and McGill University Health Centre, Montreal (M.S.), and Alberta Health Services, Edmonton (M.P.C.) — all in Canada; Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine (K.K.), Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Catholic University of Korea (C.-K.M.), and Seoul National University College of Medicine (S.-S.Y.) — all in Seoul, South Korea; Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander (E.M.O.), Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Center for Applied Medical Research, Pamplona (P.R.-O.), Institut Català d’Oncologia, Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, and the Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Barcelona (A.O.)...

J

Joan Bargay

Hospital Universitario Son LLatzer, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears (IdISBa),, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

A

Alberto Orfao

T

Tomas Jelinek

Department of Hemato-oncology, University Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic

I

Irene M. Ghobrial

T

Tuna Mutis

6Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

S

Sonja Zweegman

E

Evangelos Terpos

E

Efstathios Kastritis

J

Joaquín Martínez-López

Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre, Complutense University of Madrid, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, Madrid Institute of Cancer, Madrid

J

Juan-Jose Lahuerta

Instituto de Investigación.Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain

C

Carlos Fernandez de Larrea

29Department of Hematology, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

L

Laura Rosiñol

Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona

J

Joan Bladé

Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Institut de Investicacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain

M

María-Victoria Mateos

J

Jesus San-Miguel

M

Maria-Teresa Cedena

N

Noemi Puig

B

Bruno Paiva