A differentiated effector T cell repertoire defines a functionally high-risk group of smoldering myeloma patients - Summary - MDSpire

A differentiated effector T cell repertoire defines a functionally high-risk group of smoldering myeloma patients

  • By

  • Ross S. Firestone

  • Anish K. Simhal

  • Theresia Akhlaghi

  • Jung Hun Oh

  • Devin McAvoy

  • Kylee H. Maclachlan

  • Juan-Jose Garces

  • Sham Mailankody

  • Hani Hassoun

  • Urvi A. Shah

  • Neha Korde

  • Carlyn R. Tan

  • Sridevi Rajeeve

  • Hamza Hashmi

  • Alexander M. Lesokhin

  • Kinga Hosszu

  • Francesco Maura

  • Joseph O. Deasy

  • Saad Z. Usmani

  • Malin Hultcrantz

  • May 1, 2026

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To identify T cell signatures predictive of early progression to active multiple myeloma in patients with smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM), highlighting their potential clinical significance.

Key Findings:
  • SMM patients with early progression had a significant enrichment of CD8+CD45RA+CD62L-CCR7- T effector cells (TEMRA) compared to non-progressors, indicating a potential biomarker.
  • Increased markers of inflammation (e.g., IL-18, MMP-1) were found in early progressors, suggesting a link between inflammation and progression.
  • The random forest model achieved 75% accuracy in predicting progression status, demonstrating the model's potential utility in clinical settings.
Interpretation:

Distinct T cell profiles, particularly the presence of exhausted effector T cells, may serve as biomarkers for identifying high-risk SMM patients likely to progress to active myeloma, with implications for early intervention.

Limitations:
  • Small sample size may limit generalizability of findings, necessitating caution in interpretation.
  • Study conducted at a single institution, potentially affecting external validity and applicability to broader populations.
Conclusion:

The study highlights the potential of T cell profiling in stratifying SMM patients for early intervention, emphasizing the need for further research in larger cohorts to validate these findings.

Original Source(s)

A differentiated effector T cell repertoire defines a functionally high-risk group of smoldering myeloma patients

  • by Ross S. Firestone, Anish K. Simhal, Theresia Akhlaghi, Jung Hun Oh, Devin McAvoy, Kylee H. Maclachlan, Juan-Jose Garces, Sham Mailankody, Hani Hassoun, Urvi A. Shah, Neha Korde, Carlyn R. Tan, Sridevi Rajeeve, Hamza Hashmi, Alexander M. Lesokhin, Kinga Hosszu, Francesco Maura, Joseph O. Deasy, Saad Z. Usmani, Malin Hultcrantz

  • May 1, 2026

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