Reprogramming the Melanoma Tumor Microenvironment: From Cellular Crosstalk to Cellular Immunotherapy
- 1Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, 117198 Moscow, Russia
- 2Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of FSBSI Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery, 3 Tsyurupy Street, 117418 Moscow, Russia
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive and rapidly metastasizing malignant neoplasm of the skin and mucous membranes, arising from melanocytes of neuroectodermal origin. Despite substantial advances in immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapy, a significant proportion of patients develop primary or acquired resistance, which is largely attributable to the complex interactions between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME). This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the cellular and molecular components of the melanoma TME and their contribution to immunosuppression, tumor progression, and therapeutic resistance. The role of keratinocytes as the primary niche-forming cells in the epidermis is examined, including their reprogramming during melanomagenesis and their involvement in drug resistance. Particular attention is given to cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which orchestrate stromal remodeling, promote immune exclusion, and limit the efficacy of immunotherapy. The phenotypic and functional heterogeneity of innate and adaptive immune cells—macrophages, granulocytes, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, T and B lymphocytes—is discussed in the context of their dual role in antitumor immunity and immune escape. A detailed analysis of immune editing mechanisms, including defective antigen recognition, resistance to apoptosis, and the establishment of an immunosuppressive microenvironment, is provided. The review further summarizes the current landscape of cellular immunotherapy for melanoma. Clinically established approaches, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and CAR-T cells, are discussed with reference to completed phase II–III clinical trials, whereas emerging strategies such as CAR-macrophages and dendritic cell vaccines are presented as largely preclinical or early-phase investigational platforms. It is concluded that the melanoma TME functions as a unified immunosuppressive network rather than a collection of individual cell populations. Based on currently available comparative clinical evidence, reprogramming this network through the combination of cellular platforms with immune checkpoint inhibitors, stromal modulators, and macrophage-repolarizing agents, supported by personalized assessment of TME composition, represents a rational and actively investigated therapeutic direction.
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BibTeX
@article{jumaniyazova2026reprogramming,
title = {{Reprogramming the Melanoma Tumor Microenvironment: From Cellular Crosstalk to Cellular Immunotherapy}},
author = {Enar Jumaniyazova and Elena Gantsova and Genrikh Kazarian and Irina Charyeva and Timur Fatkhudinov},
journal = {Cancers},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/cancers18203325},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/18/20/3325},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Reprogramming the Melanoma Tumor Microenvironment: From Cellular Crosstalk to Cellular Immunotherapy
AU - Enar Jumaniyazova
AU - Elena Gantsova
AU - Genrikh Kazarian
AU - Irina Charyeva
AU - Timur Fatkhudinov
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Cancers
DO - 10.3390/cancers18203325
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/18/20/3325
AB - Melanoma is the most aggressive and rapidly metastasizing malignant neoplasm of the skin and mucous membranes, arising from melanocytes of neuroectodermal origin. Despite substantial advances in immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapy, a significant proportion of patients develop primary or acquired resistance, which is largely attributable to the complex interactions between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME). This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the cellular and molecular components of the melanoma TME and their contribution to immunosuppression, tumor progression, and therapeutic resistance. The role of keratinocytes as the primary niche-forming cells in the epidermis is examined, including their reprogramming during melanomagenesis and their involvement in drug resistance. Particular attention is given to cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which orchestrate stromal remodeling, promote immune exclusion, and limit the efficacy of immunotherapy. The phenotypic and functional heterogeneity of innate and adaptive immune cells—macrophages, granulocytes, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, T and B lymphocytes—is discussed in the context of their dual role in antitumor immunity and immune escape. A detailed analysis of immune editing mechanisms, including defective antigen recognition, resistance to apoptosis, and the establishment of an immunosuppressive microenvironment, is provided. The review further summarizes the current landscape of cellular immunotherapy for melanoma. Clinically established approaches, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and CAR-T cells, are discussed with reference to completed phase II–III clinical trials, whereas emerging strategies such as CAR-macrophages and dendritic cell vaccines are presented as largely preclinical or early-phase investigational platforms. It is concluded that the melanoma TME functions as a unified immunosuppressive network rather than a collection of individual cell populations. Based on currently available comparative clinical evidence, reprogramming this network through the combination of cellular platforms with immune checkpoint inhibitors, stromal modulators, and macrophage-repolarizing agents, supported by personalized assessment of TME composition, represents a rational and actively investigated therapeutic direction.
SN - 2072-6694
ER -