PD-1/PD-L1 Pathway and Its Blockade in Patients with Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Large-Cell Lymphomas.

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:

Programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) is currently the most extensively studied inhibitory checkpoint molecule. Many malignant neoplasms express the PD-1 ligands, PD-L1, and/or PD-L2, which bind to PD-1 on T cells and induce T cell "exhaustion." By doing so, the malignant cells escape from an antitumor immune response (immune evasion). Blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway releases T cells from the inhibitory effects exerted by tumor cells and restores a T cell-mediated antitumor immune response. Here, we focus on understanding the immune biology of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in large-cell lymphomas, including classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL), diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL), and the current status of PD-1 blockade immunotherapy in treating patients with these lymphomas.

RECENT FINDINGS:

PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and PD-1 inhibitors have been widely tested in patients with a variety of lymphomas. Nivolumab and pembrolizumab have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating patients with some types of relapsed or refractory (R/R) lymphomas. The highest response rate has been achieved in patients with CHL, due to a high frequency of genetic alterations of 9p24.1 and high expression of PD-1 ligands. The frequency of alterations of chromosome 9p24.1 and expression of PD-L1/PD-L1 in DLBCL (except some specific subtypes) is low; therefore, it is not recommended to treat unselected DLBCL patients with PD-1 inhibitors. Studies have shown a high frequency of PD-L1 expression in ALCL, especially in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)+ type. Several cases reports have described a dramatic and durable response to PD-1 blockade in patients with R/R ALCL, suggesting that patients with R/R ALCL may be potential candidates for PD-1 blockade immunotherapy. Understanding the immune biology of lymphoid neoplasms has helped us identify the specific lymphoma types that are vulnerable to PD-1 inhibitors, such as CHL, and specific subtypes of DLBCL. However, our knowledge of many other lymphomas, including ALCL, in this area is still very limited and the future of PD-1 inhibitors in treating those lymphomas remains unclear.

• Authors: Wei Xie, L Jeffrey Medeiros, Shaoying Li, C Cameron Yin, Joseph D Khoury, Jie Xu
• Journal: Current hematologic malignancy reports (Curr Hematol Malig Rep) Vol. 15 Issue 4 Pg. 372-381 (08 2020) ISSN: 1558-822X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 32394185 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
• B7-H1 Antigen
• CD274 protein, human
• PDCD1 protein, human
• Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• B7-H1 Antigen (antagonists & inhibitors, metabolism)
• Hodgkin Disease (drug therapy, immunology, metabolism, pathology)
• Humans
• Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse (drug therapy, immunology, metabolism, pathology)
• Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic (immunology, metabolism, pathology, therapy)
• Molecular Targeted Therapy (adverse effects)
• Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor (antagonists & inhibitors, metabolism)
• Signal Transduction
• Treatment Outcome
• Tumor Microenvironment