{
  "abstract": "Purpose: Relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a major therapeutic challenge. This study longitudinally assessed immune responses in relapsed AML patients post-SCT under different therapeutic regimens, focusing on (potentially) leukemia-specific cytotoxicity and survival outcomes. Methods: The composition and profile of peripheral immune cells of 14 AML patients in hematological relapse post-SCT were evaluated by flow cytometry. Patients were stratified by clinical stage and treatment: relapse without therapy (Rw/o), relapse under/after HMA ± VCLX (RHMAs/VCLX), relapse under/after Kit-M treatment (RKit-M), and complete or partial remission after treatment (PR/CR). Frequencies of blasts, dendritic cells, (potentially) leukemia-specific IFNγ-producing or CD107a-degranulating T/NK/CIK cells, and immune checkpoint marker expression (PD-1, CTLA-4, TIM-3, TIGIT, KLRG1) were quantified. Immune profiles were also compared between long-term survivors (‘alive’) and ‘deceased’ patients. Results: Increased immune activation, characterized by increased frequencies of (potentially) leukemia-derived dendritic cells, enhanced frequencies of CD107a+/IFNγ+ effector and memory T/NK cells and reduced frequencies of cells expressing inhibitory checkpoint markers observed in the RHMAs/VCLX group (and even more in a single anecdotal patient, treated with Kit M RKit-M). Patients in remission after treatment (PR/CR) exhibited stabilization of these immune effects, indicating restored immune surveillance. Long-term survivors exhibited higher frequencies of functional CD107a+ T and IFNγ+ NK/CIK cells, while the ‘deceased’ group displayed signs of increased immune exhaustion and diminished effector responses. Conclusions: HMA/VCLX therapy (and Kit-M treatment) induced measurable, potentially) (leukemia-specific) immune responses in relapsed AML patients post-SCT. Elevated functional immune subsets correlated with long-term survival, underscoring their role as potential prognostic biomarkers. Despite a very heterogeneous patient cohort and treatment, our findings support immune monitoring post-SCT to improve risk stratification and highlight the therapeutic potential of immune-modulating treatments in relapsed AML.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Dep., Med. III, University Hospital of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany",
    "Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), 91054 Erlangen, Germany",
    "Workgroup: Immunomodulation, Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Munich, Marchioninistraße 15, 81377 Munich, Germany",
    "Department for Transfusion Medicine, Cell Therapeutics and Haemostaseology, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany",
    "Department of Haematology and Oncology, University Hospital of Augsburg, 86156 Augsburg, Germany"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Philipp Anand"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Julian Stein"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Joudi Abdulmajid"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Xiaojia Feng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Christian Wichmann"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Linping Chen-Wichmann"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Christoph Schmid",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7070-487X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Helga Maria Schmetzer"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Giuliano Filippini Velazquez",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2884-3432"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/byjy9yy0h75aw.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/cancers18213421",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "byjy9yy0h75aw",
  "issns": [
    "2072-6694"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/18/21/3421",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2720|Acute Myeloid Leukemia Research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223225006",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-22",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/byjy9yy0h75aw.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:58Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/cancers18213421",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/18/21/3421"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "issn:2072-6694",
      "subfield": "oncology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Monitoring of (Potentially Leukemia-Specific) Immune Cells After AML Relapse Post-Transplantation Across Treatment Groups and Disease Stages",
  "title_text": "Monitoring of (Potentially Leukemia-Specific) Immune Cells After AML Relapse Post-Transplantation Across Treatment Groups and Disease Stages",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:58Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/byjy9yy0h75aw",
  "venue": "Cancers",
  "versions": []
}