Lymphocyte Subsets and Inflammatory Cytokines of Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance and Multiple Myeloma

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 20; no. 11; p. 2822
• Main Authors: Allegra, Alessandro, Innao, Vanessa, Allegra, Andrea Gaetano, Pugliese, Marta, Di Salvo, Eleonora, Ventura-Spagnolo, Elvira, Musolino, Caterina, Gangemi, Sebastiano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 10.06.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Bone marrow; Cancer; Cell adhesion & migration; Chromosomes; Cytokines; Disease; Immunology; Legal medicine; Lymphocytes; Multiple myeloma; Pathogenesis; Plasma; Review; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Italy; T lymphocytes; cytokine; alarmin; multiple myeloma; inflammation; monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance; immunosurveillance
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms20112822

Almost all multiple myeloma (MM) cases have been demonstrated to be linked to earlier monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Nevertheless, there are no identified characteristics in the diagnosis of MGUS that have been helpful in differentiating subjects whose cancer may progress to a malignant situation. Regarding malignancy, the role of lymphocyte subsets and cytokines at the beginning of neoplastic diseases is now incontestable. In this review, we have concentrated our attention on the equilibrium between the diverse lymphocyte subsets and the cytokine system and summarized the current state of knowledge, providing an overview of the condition of the entire system in MGUS and MM. In an age where the therapy of neoplastic monoclonal gammopathies largely relies on drugs capable of acting on the immune system (immunomodulants, immunological checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T), detailed knowledge of the the differences existing in benign and neoplastic forms of gammopathy is the main foundation for the adequate and optimal use of new drugs.