Antibody and cellular immunotherapies for chronic viral infection and cancer

HIV infection and cancer immunotherapy are fields shaped by major advances in antiretroviral treatment, therapeutic antibodies, immune-cell engineering, and immune checkpoint modulation. However, persistent HIV reservoirs, chronic inflammation, incomplete immune reconstitution, immune senescence, antigen escape, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments, and treatment resistance continue to limit durable responses. Although antiretroviral therapy suppresses viraemia, it does not eradicate latently infected cells, and persistent immune dysfunction may contribute to comorbidities and an increased risk of malignancy. Similarly, cancer immunotherapies can produce durable responses in some patients, but their efficacy is constrained by heterogeneous antigen expression, T-cell exhaustion, inadequate immune-cell trafficking, and adaptive resistance.Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of broadly neutralizing and other therapeutic antibodies, Fc engineering, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, therapeutic vaccination, innate immune agonists, and rational combination regimens to enhance antiviral and anti-tumor immunity. Nevertheless, the mechanisms that determine response, the optimal integration of these antibody- and cell-based approaches, and their applicability across HIV infection, co-infection, and virus-associated cancers remain incompletely understood. Further investigation is needed to identify shared and disease-specific immunological principles and develop clinically relevant strategies for overcoming persistent infection, immune dysfunction and malignant disease.This Research Topic aims to advance the development and evaluation of antibody-based, engineered cellular, small-molecule, and combination immunotherapies for HIV infection, relevant co-infections, cancer, and virus-associated malignancies. A central focus will be to examine how antigen-specific targeting can be integrated with the modulation of innate and adaptive immunity to eliminate or control viral reservoirs, improve immune restoration, overcome tumor immune evasion, and achieve more durable therapeutic responses across these disease contexts. Contributions may address the mechanisms of therapeutic activity, determinants and biomarkers of response, strategies to counteract immune exhaustion, chronic inflammation and treatment resistance, and the translation of promising interventions into clinically relevant models and trials.To gather further insights into immune-based interventions for HIV persistence, co-infection, cancer, and associated malignancies, this Research Topic will focus on preclinical, translational, and clinical research while recognizing the limitations of model systems, disease heterogeneity, and treatment accessibility. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:-Broadly neutralizing, non-neutralizing, monoclonal, bispecific, multi-specific, Fc-engineered, and other therapeutic antibodies for HIV treatment, reservoir reduction, functional or sterilizing cure, and cancer immunotherapy.-Small-molecule interventions targeting viral persistence, innate immunity, immune suppression, or therapeutic resistance.-CAR-T cells and other engineered immune-cell therapies for HIV infection, co-infection, cancer, and virus-associated malignancies.-Combination strategies integrating antibodies, CAR-T cells, therapeutic vaccination, immune checkpoint modulation, and innate immune activation.-Targeting the plasmacytoid dendritic cell–type I interferon axis and other innate immune pathways to enhance antiviral and anti-tumor responses.-Antibody-mediated effector mechanisms, including antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis, complement activation, and Fc-receptor-dependent immunity.-Strategies to overcome T-cell exhaustion, antigen escape, immune suppression, viral persistence, and treatment resistance.-Dendritic-cell antigen presentation, T-cell priming, natural killer-cell and macrophage responses, and other mechanisms governing therapeutic immunity.-Immunotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic approaches for HIV- or HBV-associated malignancies and other virus-associated cancers.Biomarkers and immune correlates predicting responses to antibody, cellular, and combination immunotherapies.-Translational studies using patient-derived samples, primary human cells, organoids, ex vivo systems, humanized mouse models, and other clinically relevant preclinical platforms.-Emerging technologies and therapeutic platforms that facilitate translation from mechanistic discovery to clinical application.We welcome Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews, Perspectives, and other relevant article types. The topic editors declare no conflict of interest Topic editors: Guangming Li, Alonso Heredia, Chitra Upadhyay Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86449/antibody-and-cellular-immunotherapies-for-chronic-viral-infection-and-cancer