Immune Surveillance in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Tumor Antigen Expression and CD8+ T Cell Function in the Context of Treatment- Free Remission.

This study evaluated the immune surveillance function in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) through tumor antigen gene expression analysis, in vitro mixed lymphocyte cultures with peptides, and immunological analysis of patients after imatinib withdrawal to investigate factors affecting treatment-free remission (TFR). Specific immune responses were demonstrated in T lymphocytes against SPAG9 and NY-REN-60 peptides, highlighting their potential in immunotherapy. Immune profiling identified that CD8+PD1+, CD56dimCD16+PD1+, and iNKT+CD161+ cells contribute to recurrence-free survival. A Cox model confirmed the prognostic value of immune markers. These results emphasize the critical role of the immune system in CML and indicate novel targets for sustaining TFR.