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Graft manipulation and GVHD: what goes around comes around
A mechanism for a VEXing problem
Author Correction: Natural behaviour is learned through dopamine-mediated reinforcement
Orca-T vs allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Precision-T): a multicenter, randomized phase 3 trial
Abstract To prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in patients undergoing myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT), a calcineurin inhibitor plus methotrexate is routinely used. Early phase studies suggested improved outcomes with Orca-T, an allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy that uses purified donor regulatory T cells to prevent GVHD with significantly less immunosuppression. This phase 3 trial randomized adult patients (N = 187) with acute leukemias or myelodysplastic syndrome undergoing myeloablative conditioning to receive either Orca-T with tacrolimus or a conventional allograft with tacrolimus and methotrexate (Tac/MTX), using granulocyte colony-stimulating factor–mobilized peripheral blood from HLA-matched donors. The primary end point was survival free from moderate-to-severe chronic GVHD (cGVHD; cGFS). Using a stratified log-rank test, cGFS was significantly higher in the Orca-T arm than in Tac/MTX (hazard ratio, 0.26; 95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.47; P< .001). One-year estimates were as follows: cGFS was 78.0% with Orca-T vs 38.4% with Tac/MTX; cumulative incidence of moderate-to-severe cGVHD was 12.6% with Orca-T and 44.0% with Tac/MTX (Gray test P< .001); overall survival was 93.9% with Orca-T vs 83.1% with Tac/MTX (P = .12); GVHD-free and relapse-free survival was 63.1% and 30.9% in the Orca-T and Tac/MTX arms (P< .001), respectively; nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was 3.4% with Orca-T vs 13.2% with Tac/MTX (P = .03). Orca-T met the primary end point of improved survival free from cGVHD compared with Tac/MTX prophylaxis and should be considered a new therapeutic option with low toxicity for GVHD prophylaxis. Moreover, significantly less toxicity was observed with Orca-T patients, including fewer serious infectious complications and less NRM. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05316701.
Pediatric acute erythroid leukemia with <i>NUP98</i> :: <i>KDM5A</i> fusion
The ubiquitin ligase KLHL6 drives resistance to CD8+ T cell dysfunction
Dual-metal-doped perovskite adsorbents for efficient removal of humic acid
Lichtman MA, Rowe JM. Hyperleukocytic leukemias: rheological, clinical, and therapeutic considerations. <i>Blood</i> . 1982;60(2):279-283.
Cortical-limbic circuit dynamics of approach-avoidance conflict in humans
Abstract Choosing to approach or avoid is common in everyday life and excessive avoidance is a cardinal feature of anxiety disorders. We use intracranial EEG to define a prefrontal-limbic circuit supporting approach and avoidance. Presurgical epilepsy patients (n = 20) performed an approach-avoidance conflict decision-making task inspired by the arcade game Pac-Man, where patients trade off rewards against losses from ghost attack. During approach, theta power increases across a limbic circuit including the hippocampus, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, which drops during avoidance. Theta connectivity between this circuit and lateral prefrontal cortex increases during approach and falls during avoidance. Network connectivity tracks how long patients approach, with enhanced synchronicity extending approach times. During imminent threat, the system switches to sustained increase in high-frequency activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex. The results provide evidence of a distributed prefrontal-limbic circuit, mediated by theta oscillations and high frequency activity, underlying approach-avoidance conflict in humans.
2025 update on MRD in acute myeloid leukemia: a consensus document from the ELN-DAVID MRD Working Party
Abstract Measurable residual disease (MRD) monitoring has become a critical component in the management of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), to inform prognosis, guide therapy, and serve as a key end point in clinical trials. The 2025 update of the MRD guideline provides a comprehensive and refined framework for MRD assessment, aligned with the European LeukemiaNet (ELN) 2022 genetic risk classification. Developed by members of the ELN AML MRD Working Party, the guidelines incorporate expert consensus determined through a 2-stage Delphi round. They address the clinical implementation of MRD methodologies, technical considerations, integration into clinical trials, and future directions. Importantly, MRD recommendations are tailored to individual prognostic and genetic subgroups. A new qualitative MRD response category, designated as optimal, warning, or high risk of treatment failure, has been introduced to facilitate contextual interpretation of the MRD burden and its clinical relevance. Notably, ultrahigh-sensitivity next-generation sequencing–based MRD assessment is now recommended for FLT3 internal tandem duplication–mutated AML after intensive chemotherapy and before allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. A total of 56 recommendations were formulated, with 53 achieving a high level of consensus (≥90%). These updated guidelines represent a major step forward toward harmonizing MRD assessments in AML and enhancing its clinical utility across diverse treatment settings.
Pan-tumor activity of olomorasib, a next-generation KRAS G12C inhibitor in KRAS G12C-mutant advanced solid tumors: a first-in-human study
Abstract This multicenter, first-in-human Phase 1 study (NCT04956640) evaluated olomorasib (LY3537982), a next-generation KRAS G12C inhibitor designed to enhance target occupancy at low absolute exposures. In total, data from 195 patients are reported: Phase 1a dose escalation ( n = 112) assessed olomorasib monotherapy at 50, 100, 150 or 200 mg BID across KRAS G12C-mutant advanced solid tumors; the primary objective was to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) based on dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). No DLTs occurred, and 150 mg BID was selected as the RP2D. The primary objective for the Phase 1b dose expansion ( n = 83) was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of olomorasib in specific KRAS G12C-mutant tumor types. Olomorasib was well tolerated, with predominantly grade 1–2 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) and infrequent grade 3 TRAEs; no grade 4/5 TRAEs occurred. Secondary objectives evaluated the antitumor activity of olomorasib. Among 168 efficacy-evaluable patients, the ORR and median PFS were both higher in non-CRC solid tumors compared to CRC, including in patients with NSCLC who previously received a KRAS G12C inhibitor. Intracranial responses were observed in patients with untreated, active brain metastases. This may support the potential of next-generation KRAS G12C inhibitors to overcome limitations of earlier agents and justify further investigation of combination therapy.
Gene expression profiling reveals 2 overarching types of ALCL with distinct targetable biology: an LLMPP study
Abstract Anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCLs) are CD30+ T-cell lymphomas that share pathologic features but differ in presentation, outcome, and genetics. Current classification incorporates clinical presentation and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) status but inadequately addresses molecular heterogeneity and therapeutic vulnerabilities. We studied 689 patients with ALCL in the LLMPP (Lymphoma/Leukemia Molecular Profiling Project) and performed expert consensus review, genetic subtyping (ALK, DUSP22, TP63, and triple negative), and immunohistochemistry for phosphorylated STAT3Tyr705. RNA sequencing with unsupervised gene expression profiling in 393 patients identified 2 main molecular types of ALCL that could be predicted with 91% accuracy based on the presence (type I) or absence (type II) of phosphorylated STAT3Y705 expression. Type I ALCLs included ALK+ ALCL and a subset of triple-negative ALCLs (TN-I); type II ALCLs included tumors with DUSP22 and/or TP63 rearrangements and the remaining triple-negative ALCLs (TN-II). Type I ALCLs were enriched for JAK-STAT3, whereas type II ALCLs were enriched for non–tyrosine kinase pathways, particularly epigenetic regulators such as EZH2. Immunohistochemistry showed overexpression of EZH2 and its trimethylated substrate H3K27. Prognosis in systemic ALCL was favorable for DUSP22-rearranged ALCL (5-year overall survival, 95%) and ALK+ ALCL (88%), intermediate for triple-negative ALCL (TN-I, 52% and TN-II, 37%), and poor for TP63-rearranged ALCL (0%). We introduce an integrated molecular classification that preserves currently diagnosed ALCL entities but identifies 4 molecularly distinct ALK− ALCL subtypes (DUSP22-rearranged, TP63-rearranged, TN-I, and TN-II). This classification can be easily implemented on paraffin tissue in routine practice or clinical trials, and stratifies ALCL into diagnostically, prognostically, biologically, and potentially therapeutically relevant subtypes.
Multimodal framework for the joint analysis of single-cell RNA and T cell receptor sequencing data predicts T cell response to cancer immunotherapy
Microenvironmental cell interactions are essential for sustaining functionality of myelofibrosis malignant stem cells
Abstract Cancer develops through the interactions between cancer stem cells and components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). To model in vivo cancer stem cell–TME interactions and elucidate their functional consequences, we focused on myelofibrosis (MF), a stem cell–driven myeloproliferative neoplasm. We cocultured MF hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) with normal donor endothelial cells (ECs) and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to investigate the consequences of interactions between malignant MF HSPCs and nonmalignant microenvironmental cells. This tricultivation system proved to be a simple and reproducible platform, which promoted malignant clone dominance and the persistence of MF HSPCs that recapitulate the MF phenotype upon transplantation into immunodeficient mice, including splenomegaly and marrow fibrosis. Transcriptional profiling revealed extensive reprogramming of not only the cocultured MF HSPCs, but also MSCs and ECs. Although numerous disease-relevant pathways were upregulated, the proinflammatory response stood out as a key consequence of MF HSPC–TME interactions. We validated these findings through quantitation of proinflammatory transcript upregulation and cytokine production. This human multicellular model system has proven useful in demonstrating the multidirectional interactions of MF HSPCs with TME cells that are essential for sustaining fully functional MF stem cells.