MicroRNAs as Modulators of the Immune Response in T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 23; no. 2; p. 829
• Main Authors: Del Gaizo, Martina, Sergio, Ilaria, Lazzari, Sara, Cialfi, Samantha, Pelullo, Maria, Screpanti, Isabella, Felli, Maria Pia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 13.01.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; Animals; Apoptosis; Biomarkers, Tumor; Bone marrow; Cancer; Cell differentiation; Cell fate; Cell growth; Chemokines; Crosstalk; Differentiation (biology); Disease Progression; Disease Susceptibility; Epigenetics; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; Growth factors; Hematology; Humans; Immune response; Immune system; Immunomodulation; Immunomodulation - genetics; Kinases; Leukemia; Lymphatic leukemia; Lymphocytes B; Lymphocytes T; MDSC; microRNA; MicroRNAs; MicroRNAs - genetics; miRNA; Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells - immunology; Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells - metabolism; Natural Killer cells; Notch; Pathogenesis; Phosphatase; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - diagnosis; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - etiology; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - metabolism; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - therapy; Progenitor cells; Review; RNA Interference; Suppressor cells; T and regulatory T cells; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - pathology; Thymus gland; Transcription, Genetic; Tumor Microenvironment - genetics; Tumor Microenvironment - immunology; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Tumors; Tuners; Natural Killer cells; microRNA; MDSC; Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; T and regulatory T cells; Notch
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020829

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is an aggressive haematological tumour driven by the malignant transformation and expansion of B-cell (B-ALL) or T-cell (T-ALL) progenitors. The evolution of T-ALL pathogenesis encompasses different master developmental pathways, including the main role played by Notch in cell fate choices during tissue differentiation. Recently, a growing body of evidence has highlighted epigenetic changes, particularly the altered expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), as a critical molecular mechanism to sustain T-ALL. The immune response is emerging as key factor in the complex multistep process of cancer but the role of miRNAs in anti-leukaemia response remains elusive. In this review we analyse the available literature on miRNAs as tuners of the immune response in T-ALL, focusing on their role in Natural Killer, T, T-regulatory and Myeloid-derived suppressor cells. A better understanding of this molecular crosstalk may provide the basis for the development of potential immunotherapeutic strategies in the leukemia field.