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539 citation(s) found for "Ma, Feng".

White Matter Tract Vulnerability to Amyloid Pathology on the Alzheimer’s Disease Continuum
Chandio, Bramsh Q. , Weiner, Michael W. , Garyfallidis, Eleftherios , Jahanshad, Neda , Braskie, Meredith N. , Nir, Talia M. , Villalón‐Reina, Julio E. , Thomopoulos, Sophia I. , Feng, Yixue , Reid, Robert I. , Jack, Clifford R. , O’Bryant, Sid E. , Thompson, Paul M. , Initiative, the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging, Team, the Health and Aging Brain Study (HABS-HD) Study

2025 21st International Symposium on Biomedical Image Processing and Analysis (SIPAIM) | December 18, 2025 | Volume: No volume available | Issue: No issue available | Pages: 1-5

10.1109/sipaim67325.2025.11283325 Get It

Multisystem Caliber-Persistent Arteriopathy Syndrome: A Novel Congenital Vasculopathy Associated with a Risk of Multiorgan Hemorrhage
Xu, Guangtao , Jin, Xin , Shi, Chaoqun, Zeng, Xiansi , Li, Wanlu , Chen, Shipiao, Xu, Long , Zhu, Jia, Li, Feng , Hu, Bo, Yuan, Jun , Chen, Deqing , Zhu, Jia

No container title available | December 10, 2025 | Volume: No volume available | Issue: No issue available | Pages: No page available

10.21203/rs.3.rs-8074903/v1 Get It

Abstract This study delineates a novel multisystem caliber-persistent arteriopathy syndrome, fundamentally redefining the classical Dieulafoy's lesion from a localized gastrointestinal anomaly to a systemic congenital vasculopathy. Through integrated histopathological and genomic analysis of a forensic autopsy case, we identified pervasive arterial remodeling across seven organ systems— characterized by absent physiological tapering— indicating developmental angiogenic dysregulation. Whole-genome sequencing uncovered pathogenic variants in PDE8B , LRCH1 , and ADA genes, with functional enrichment analyses implicating dysregulated purine–cAMP signaling and cytoskeletal organization as core pathogenic mechanisms. These findings establish a genetic basis for the observed pan-vascular phenotype and highlight the necessity of systematic vascular screening in cases of unexplained multiorgan hemorrhage. This work provides a foundational framework for diagnosing and investigating congenital vascular malformations with hemorrhagic risk, urging a paradigm shift in clinical evaluation and etiological assessment.
Multiscale Segmentation-Guided Diffusion Model for CBCT-to-CT Synthesis
Guo, Yike, Luo, Yi , Hooshangnejad, Hamed , Zhang, Rui , Feng, Xue , Chen, Quan , Ngwa, Wilfred , Ding, Kai , Chen, Quan , Feng, Xue , Ding, Kai , Guo, Yike

Life | December 8, 2025 | Volume: 15 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 1871

10.3390/life15121871 | PMID 41465810 Get It

To improve synthetic CT (sCT) generation from cone-beam CT (CBCT) in radiotherapy, we propose a multiscale segmentation-guided diffusion framework. The proposed model integrates anatomical priors across multiple spatial resolutions through a segmentation mask pyramid and introduces a scale-specific loss function to guide learning at each level. When evaluated on the SynthRAD2023 brain dataset, our model achieves a mean absolute error (MAE) of 61.82 HU, a peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of 32.05 dB, and a structural similarity index (SSIM) of 0.90, outperforming baseline models. These results suggest that multiscale anatomical guidance can improve the fidelity and anatomical consistency of sCT images, thus facilitating high-quality CBCT-to-CT translation in radiotherapy applications.
Talquetamab for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma : Real-world outcomes from the US multiple myeloma immunotherapy consortium
Afrough, Aimaz , Shain, Kenneth H. , Zanwar, Saurabh , Hosoya, Hitomi , Davis, James A. , Sannareddy, Aishwarya , Ye, Jing Christine, Neupane, Karun , Richards, Tiffany, Krishnan, Amrita , Biran, Noa , Shune, Leyla , Bal, Susan , Fogel, Lindsay , Rana, Masooma , Ali, Hossam M. , Joiner, Laura, Ferreri, Christopher J. , Green, Kimberly M , Varga, Cindy , Gaballa, Mahmoud , Mikkilineni, Lekha , Bhurtel, Jenny , Sborov, Douglas W. , Voorhees, Peter M. , Goel, Utkarsh , Khouri, Jack , Sidana, Surbhi , Costa, Luciano da Fontoura , Patel, Krina K. , Sidana, Surbhi , Davis, James A , Hosoya, Hitomi , Ali, Hossam M , Pasvolsky, Oren , Grajales‐Cruz, Ariel , Hansen, Doris K. , Feng, Lei , Dima, Danai , Banerjee, Rahul , Anwer, Faiz , Lee, Lisa K. , Puglianini, Omar Castañeda , Herr, Megan M. , Raza, Shahzad , Hassan, Hamza , Baz, Rachid , Janakiram, Murali , Fortuna, Gliceida Galarza , Julian, Kelley , Atrash, Shebli , Zolotov, Eli , Anderson, Larry D. , Portuguese, Andrew J. , Lee, Hans C. , Costa, Luciano, Lin, Yi

Blood | December 5, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 137-137

10.1182/blood-2025-137 Get It

Abstract Introduction: The GPRC5D-directed bispecific antibody (BsAb) Talquetamab (Talq) has shown promising results for patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) in the MonumenTAL-1 clinical trial (Chari et al. NEJM 2022). However, there are limited data on the use of Talq in the real-world setting. Methods: All pts with RRMM who started Talq between 8/2023-3/2025 across 15 US academic centers were included. High-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (HRCA) were defined as del(17p), t(4;14), t(14;16) and/or gain/amplification 1q21. Time-to-event analyses were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Toxicities including CRS and ICANS were graded using CTCAE v5.0 or ASTCT criteria. Results: A total of 484 pts were included, with a median age of 65 years (range 35-89), and 83 pts (17%) were aged ≥75 years. 20% of pts were black. 21% had baseline CrCl<40, 65% had HRCA and 29% had >1 HRCA (i.e Ultra high-risk MM). The median number of prior lines of therapy was 6 (IQR 4, 8). 50% were penta-refractory, 69% received at least one prior BCMA-directed therapy (46% CART; 32% BsAb). Prior to initiation of Talq, 11 pts (2%) had CNS MM, 29 (6%) had PCL and 126 (26%) had true extramedullary disease (EMD). 70% would have been ineligible for the MonumenTAL-1 trial. For most pts (n=405; 84%) the dosing strategy from Cycle 2 was 0.8 mg/kg every 2 weeks. and the 0.4 mg/Kg weekly dosing was used in 28 patients (6%). In 6% of pts, an additional drug was added to Talq, mostly pomalidomide (n=20) or daratumumab (n=10). 101 pts (21%) received Talq as bridging for CART. Median duration of Talq treatment was 102 days. 62% developed CRS (Grade ≥3, 2%; including one Grade 5 event). 15% developed ICANS (Grades 3-4, 4%). Steroids were used in 213 patients (44%), tocilizumab in 145 (30%) and anakinra in 9 (2%). 22 patients (5%) required ICU stay during the first cycle, for a median of 6 days (range 1-31). A total of 200 pts (41%) had infections (median 1 infection each, range 1-6), including 99 (20%) with bacterial infections, 113 (23%) viral infections and 21 (4%) fungal infections. IVIG was used in 261 pts (54%). 79% of patients (n=384) developed Talq-related oral toxicity, 55% (n=269) skin toxicity and 199 (41%) nail toxicity. 157 patients died after a median follow up of 11.5 months (mos), and the leading causes of death were MM progression (n=120) and infection (n=10). 8 pts (1.7%) developed invasive second primary malignancies. The ORR was 73%, including 46% ≥VGPR. The median PFS (mPFS) for the entire cohort was 7.8 mos (95% CI 6.9-9.4) and the 12 months PFS rate was 39%. The median OS had not been reached and the 12 months OS rate was 63%. For pts who would have been eligible for MonumenTAL-1, the mPFS was 12.2 mos (95% CI 9.7 – not reached (NR); for trial-ineligible pts, the mPFS was 6.9 mos (5.8 – 8.0; p=0.003). For BCMA-naive pts, the mPFS was 15.7 mos (11.8-NR); for BCMA-exposed pts, the mPFS was 6.8 mos (6.0-7.8; p=0.0002). For patients who received Talq as bridging prior to CART, the median PFS was NR (14.1 – NR); for those who did not receive Talq as bridging the mPFS was 6.5 mos (5.3-7.6; p<0.0001). In multivariable analyses, worse OS and PFS were associated with trial ineligibility [(HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.03-1.86; p=0.03) and (2.33, 1.31-4.14; p=0.004)], BMI<30 [(1.42,1.06-1.89; p=0.02) and (1.50, 1.01-2.22; p=0.045)] and true EMD at baseline [(1.95, 1.49-2.56; p<0.001) and (1.65, 1.16-2.36; p=0.005). On the other hand, use of Talq as bridging to CART was associated with better PFS (0.27, 0.17-0.43; p<0.001) and OS (0.13, 0.05-2.56; p<0.001). Ultra high-risk MM (1.40, 1.06-1.84; p=0.02) and baseline albumin <3 (1.68, 1.18-2.37; p=0.004) were associated with worse PFS; ECOG ≥2 (1.68, 1.18-2.40; p=0.004), and baseline Plt<50K (2.14, 1.48-3.10; p<0.0001) was associated with worse OS. Conclusions: In this large real-world analysis of 484 Talq recipients, the ORR was comparable to MonumenTAL-1 but the median PFS was shorter. This likely reflects differences in patient selection, with 70% of patients in our cohort being trial-ineligible. Patients who received Talq as pre-CAR-T bridging had superior survival outcomes. Rates of toxicities were similar to MonumenTAL-1, including >70% of patients developing dysgeusia.
Hypomethylating agent with venetoclax versus hypomethylating agent alone in frontline management of myelodysplastic syndrome - impact of subgroups on clinical outcomes
Ball, Somedeb , Haddadin, Michael , Feld, Jonathan , Cohen‐Nowak, Adam , Hawkins, Hayley, Shukla, Asmita, Tan, Virginia, Dulak, Dominika, Tawfiq, Reema, Dworkin, Emily , Feng, Amber , Foucar, Charles , Shallis, Rory M. , Im, Annie , Winer, Eric S. , Murthy, Guru Subramanian Guru , Abaza, Yasmin , Abboud, Ramzi , Balasubramanian, Suresh , Kishtagari, Ashwin , Guerra, Veronica , Weiss, Julian J , Gonzalez‐Lugo, Jesus D. , Dhakal, Prajwal , Leonard, Jessica T , Badar, Talha , Patel, Shyam A. , Lin, Chenyu , Patel, Anand , Atallah, Ehab , Komrokji, Rami S.

Blood | December 4, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 239-239

10.1182/blood-2025-239 Get It

Abstract Background: Hypomethylating agent (HMA) with venetoclax (VEN) is used in clinical practice for frontline management of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) based on encouraging data from phase 1 clinical trial (Garcia JS et al. Blood 2025). While the randomized clinical trial (VERONA-NCT04401748) did not show a survival benefit of azacitidine-VEN, the study had important differences such as exclusion of therapy related MDS and being conducted in several non-academic US centers. To better understand the impact of this regimen and its effects in subgroups, we conducted a real-world analysis of frontline MDS patients treated mainly at academic medical centers with HMA-VEN and compared to HMA monotherapy. Methods: This is a multicenter retrospective study of 19 US academic medical centers. We included contemporary cohorts of adults (age≥18 years) with MDS (intermediate, high or very high risk by IPSS-R) who were treated outside of clinical trials with either upfront combination of HMA-VEN or HMA monotherapy. Data on patient-related, disease-related and treatment-related variables were collected through chart review. Descriptive statistics were used for baseline characteristics. Overall survival (OS) and event free survival (EFS: progression, leukemic transformation, death as events) analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier method. Determinants of outcomes were analyzed using multivariable regression models. All analyses were conducted at a significance level of p<0.05. Results: Among 1198 patients with intermediate, high or very-high risk MDS, 313 patients received upfront VEN in combination with HMA [HMA-VEN] and 885 patients received HMA monotherapy. Median age was 70 (63-76) years and majority of patients had MDS with excess blasts-1 (34% overall, HMA-VEN=26%, HMA=37%) or MDS with excess-blasts-2 (41% overall, HMA-VEN=60%, HMA=34%). Disease risk by IPSS-R was intermediate (29% overall, HMA-VEN=18%, HMA=33%), high (30% overall, HMA-VEN=31%, HMA=30%) or very-high risk (41% overall, HMA-VEN=51%, HMA=37%, p<0.001). Therapy related MDS (t-MDS) was seen in 27% of patients (HMA-VEN=33%, HMA=25%, p=0.004), 34% had TP53 mutation (HMA-VEN=40%, HMA=32%, p=0.005) and 33% underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) (HMA-VEN=42%, HMA=30%, p<0.001). The most common mutations detected at baseline included TP53 (34%), ASXL1 (22%), DNMT3A (16%), RUNX1 (16%), TET2 (14%), SRSF2 (13%), and U2AF1 (11%). The response rate by IWG 2006 criteria was significantly higher with HMA-VEN than HMA monotherapy (overall 81% vs 39%, CR: 17% vs 9.6%; marrow CR: 56% vs 14%, p<0.001). In multivariable analysis accounting for upfront treatment, AHSCT, genomic mutations, baseline bone marrow blasts and t-MDS, patients treated with HMA-VEN in the upfront setting had significantly improved EFS (median EFS 10.7 vs. 7.8 mon, HR 0.83, 95%CI 0.72-0.96, p=0.01) and OS (median OS 22.4 vs. 18.1 mon, HR 0.79, 95%CI 0.64-0.97, p=0.02). In addition, TP53 mutation status (OS: HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.57-2.26, p<0.001, EFS: HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.23-1.65, p<0.001), subsequent AHSCT (OS: HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.27-0.41, p<0.001; EFS: HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.40-0.54, p<0.001), and therapy related MDS (OS: HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.00-1.44, p=0.04, EFS: HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.96-1.27, p=0.2) were significant predictors on multivariable analysis. When separately investigated in subgroups, an OS benefit of HMA-VEN over HMA was seen in patients undergoing subsequent AHSCT (median OS 40.6 vs. 30 mon, p=0.05), bone marrow blast 10-19% (median OS 25.1 vs. 17.4 mon, P=0.01), de novo MDS (median OS 30 vs. 20.1 mon, P=0.003) and absence of TP53 mutation (median OS 34.9 mon vs. 23.1 mon, p=0.004). The benefit of HMA-VEN over HMA was also seen across molecular mutations including presence of ASXL1 mutation (median OS 35.2 vs 20.9 mon, p=0.03). Conclusions: In this large multicenter retrospective analysis from US academic medical centers, we found that HMA-VEN therapy significantly improved OS in certain subsets of high risk MDS including patients with 10-19% blasts, denovo MDS, subsequent AHSCT and those without TP53 mutation. While our analysis is limited by its retrospective design, prospectively exploring subgroups of MDS patients who could benefit from HMA-VEN therapy is needed.
Allogeneic stem cell transplant results in t-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL): A collaborative multi-center study cohort
McLaughlin, Eric , Lingamaneni, Prasanth , Cao, Miao , Chang, Tiffany , Ganesan, Nivetha, Luu, Binh, Mehta-Shah, Neha, Allen, Pamela B. , Paulino, Darina, Adams, Brittany , Wang, Jie , Feng, Amber , Marchi, Enrica , Gutierrez, Marc , Sklarz, Tammarah , Sethi, Tarsheen , Foss, Francine, Beaven, Anne , Haverkos, Bradley M. , Treitman, Rachel, Oh, Timothy , Reilly, Sean, Khoo, Alan Soo Beng , Kataria, Abhishek , Jagadeesh, Deepa , Carlson, Alexander , Rajguru, Saurabh, Babu, Abida , Mishra, Anjali , Hampel, Paul J. , Brammer, Jonathan E. , Braunstein, Zachary , Barta, Stefan K , Shree, Tanaya , Luu, Binh, Mehta–Shah, Neha , Watkins, Marcus P. , Zain, Jasmine , Roberts, Nathan, Wilcox, Ryan A. , Frosch, Zachary AK , Oh, Timothy, Moreira, Jonathan , Porcu, Pierluigi , Zhang, Xiaohui , Stuver, Robert , Poh, Christina

Blood | December 4, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 1054-1054

10.1182/blood-2025-1054 Get It

Abstract Introduction: T-PLL is a rare, aggressive leukemia with poor prognosis and limited therapies. Previous studies on T-PLL patients receiving an allogeneic stem cell transplant (alloSCT) are limited by small numbers with limited data on disease and transplant characteristics. Further, recent data from our large national cohort of patients demonstrated significant survival difference between TCL1A+ and TCL1A- T-PLL, and CD8+ T-PLL vs CD8- T-PLL. In this large multi-center series, utilizing comprehensive disease subtype and alloSCT clinical data, we evaluated prognostic and survival therapeutic outcomes in T-PLL patients that had an alloSCT with a particular focus on T-PLL disease subtypes. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 572 diagnosed with T-PLL at 21 academic cancer centers throughout the USA between 2000-2023, of which we performed a further evaluation on the169 that proceeded with alloSCT. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were assessed using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazard models. Results: Among n=169 alloSCT recipients with T-PLL, the median follow-up time was 20.9 months post-alloSCT (range: 0.2-182.9), the median age at transplant was 59 years (range: 35-77) and 52% were male. In evaluated patients (n=109), TCL1A was positive by cytogenetics or FISH in 69%. As our recent analysis demonstrated significant differences in survival among specific subtypes of T-PLL, we evaluated outcomes in patients with CD4+CD8- T-PLL (n=90, 53%), CD4-CD8+ (n=17, 10%) T-PLL, and CD4+CD8+ T-PLL (n=52, 31%). 53% (87/164) had known nodal involvement at diagnosis identified by PET or CT scan and 45% (43/96) of known patients had minimal residual disease (MRD) at the time of transplant [defined as <5% T-PLL in marrow by flow, or +cytogenetics (e.g. TCL1A)] prior to alloSCT. At the time of alloSCT, 136 (80%) patients were in CR and 23 (14%) patients were in PR. Forty-nine (30%) had a myeloablative (MAC)conditioning regimen and 114 (70%) had a reduced intensity chemotherapy (RIC) conditioning regimen. Eighty (49%) patients had TBI as part of their regimen. The most common regimens were fludarabine (flu)/melphalan based regimens (n=44; 26.0%), flu/cyclophosphamide (cy) based regimens (n=33; 19.5%), flu/busulfan based regimens (n=22; 13.0%), flu/total body irradiation (TBI) (n=8; 4.7%), and cy/TBI (n=4; 2.4%). Across the whole cohort, the median OS and PFS post-alloSCT was 32.6 months (95% CI: 21.0-41.9) and 20.8 months (95% CI: 14.4-30.5) months while the 1-year cumulative incidences (CI) of NRM and relapse were 17% and 20%, respectively. The incidences of grade II-IV acute GVHD and cGVHD were 19% and 23%. There was no difference between patients with myeloablative conditioning (MAC) (n=49, 29%) when compared to patients that received reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) (n=114, 67%) in OS (33.1 vs 29.2; p=0.68) and PFS (20.2 vs 20.8; p=0.97). Patients that were MRD+ (n=31) had worse OS (22.2 vs 48.6; p=0.1) and PFS (14.1 vs 32.5; p=0.04) and higher rates of relapse (1-year relapse 20% vs 8%; p=0.08) than patients that were MRD- (n=50). PFS was improved in those who received alloSCT though only trended towards significance due to low numbers (HR 0.76, p=0.09). In subtype analysis, TCL1A+ T-PLL had significantly worse outcomes compared to TCL1A negative T-PLL. TCL1A+ disease had significantly worse OS (21.6 vs 63.1; p=0.01) and PFS (12.4 vs 50.7; p=0.01) compared to TCL1A-. Additionally, in TCL1A+ disease CI of NRM (24% vs 3%; p=0.02) and relapse (25% vs 12%; p=0.86) was higher vs TCL1A- PLL. CD4+CD8-, CD4-CD8+, and CD4+CD8+ disease had no difference in survival via either OS (28.0 vs 34.4 vs 21.0; p=0.17) or PFS (29.4 vs 23.5 vs 13.6; p=0.09) as well as no difference 1-year CI of NRM ( 11.6 vs 23.5 vs 26.2; p=0.35) and relapse (18.5 vs 23.5 vs 20.0; p=0.67).Conclusions: AlloSCT significantly improved outcomes for patients with T-PLL compared to those who did not proceed to alloSCT and remains he only curative therapy for those with T-PLL. OS, PFS, and CI relapse were significantly worse for patients with TCL1A+ subtype of T-PLL, or those with MRD positivity or PR prior to alloSCT. Novel strategies to decrease relapse such as post-alloSCT maintenance therapy to improve outcomes are urgently needed in these patients.
Earlier use of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) is associated with better immune fitness and stronger immune effects as shown by correlative analysis of peripheral blood and the bone marrow tumor microenvironment (TME) from the CARTITUDE-4 study
Li, Katherine , Lin, Yi , Martin, Thomas G. , Han, Siyu, de, Rocío Montes , Suraneni, Mahipal, Hodkinson, Brendan P. , Wang, Feng, Kumar, Ashwini , Yin, Da , Smirnov, Denis A. , Patel, Jaymala , Lendvai, Nikoletta , Zhu, Jieqing, Koneru, Mythili, Patel, Nitin , Geng, Dong , Plaks, Vicki , Parekh, Samir , Donk, Niels W.C.J. van de , Han, Siyu, Gormley, Michael , Yuan, Jinzhou , Wang, Feng , Yin, Da, Madduri, Deepu , Harrison, Simon J

Blood | December 4, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 92-92

10.1182/blood-2025-92 Get It

Abstract Introduction: Cilta-cel is approved in the US and the EU for the treatment of patients (pts) with lenalidomide-refractory multiple myeloma (MM) after ≥1 prior line of therapy (pLOT), including a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent based on the CARTITUDE-1 (CART-1, NCT03548207) and CARTITUDE-4 (CART-4, NCT04181827) studies. Cilta-cel led to deep and durable responses and significant survival benefit in pts with relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) after ≥3 pLOT in CART-1. In CART-4, cilta-cel led to a significant overall survival benefit with a higher proportion of pts achieving deep, sustained minimal residual disease negativity vs standard of care in pts with lenalidomide-refractory MM after 1–3 pLOT. We investigated the mechanism of action of cilta-cel by correlating biomarkers from peripheral blood and the bone marrow TME with progression-free survival (PFS) and number of pLOT in pts with RRMM from CART-1 and CART-4. Methods: Biomarker analyses were performed using peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirates (BMAs) collected in both CART-1 and CART-4 studies. Immunophenotyping by flow cytometry was performed using peripheral blood at baseline/time of apheresis in samples from both studies. Immune fitness at baseline was assessed in pts by pLOT and in association with PFS. Gene set enrichment scores were derived from RNA sequencing data of the TME using BMAs. Mixed-effects models were used to identify signatures/pathways modulated over time (day [D] 28 and at 6 months [mo] post infusion vs screening) and in association with PFS and pLOT. Results: In total, 176 CART-4 and 97 CART-1 pts received cilta-cel as study treatment. Immunophenotyping data were available from 248 peripheral blood samples (1 pLOT, n=56; 2 pLOT, n=61; ≥3 pLOT, n=131). At apheresis, CD4+ naïve T cells (%) were higher in pts with 1 or 2 pLOT, compared with those with ≥3 pLOT, while no difference was found in pts with ≥3 pLOT with further breakdown (i.e., 3–4 vs 5–6 vs ≥7 pLOT). Further, higher baseline levels of CD4+ naïve T cells were associated with longer PFS. These data suggest that the negative impact on peripheral immune fitness with the addition of LOT may plateau when pts have received ≥3 pLOT. TME gene expression data were available from 148 BMA samples (screening, n=50; D28, n=50; 6 mo, n=48) from CART-4. Analyses of gene expression signatures suggest depletion of B cells and antibodies at D28 post cilta-cel infusion, with partial recovery at 6 mo. This was corroborated in parallel by flow cytometry and immunoglobulin quantification. Further, elevated expression of genes associated with myeloid cells, including tumor-associated macrophages (TAM, likely M1), and of genes associated with cytotoxic T cells were also observed at D28. Elevated expression of genes associated with B-cell receptors, T-cell differentiation and activation, and cytokine signaling pathways were found at both D28 and 6 mo. Pts with longer PFS (>18 mo) had higher levels of M1 TAM at D28, while those with shorter PFS had higher levels of regulatory T cells and more suppressed interferon pathway genes at 6 mo, suggesting that relapse may be associated with a more suppressive immune response. In pts with fewer pLOT, more profound B-cell depletion on D28, better recovery at 6 mo, and elevated B-cell receptor signaling were inferred from gene expression data. Pts with 1 pLOT also demonstrated higher elevation of M1 TAM expression on D28 from screening as compared with pts with 3 pLOT, similar to what was observed in pts with longer PFS. Conclusions: Correlative biomarker data suggest that longer PFS is associated with better immune fitness at baseline and stronger immune responses post cilta-cel infusion, as observed in peripheral blood and within the TME of pts with RRMM in CART-1 and CART-4. The peripheral immune fitness was more pronounced in pts with 1 and 2 pLOT vs 3 pLOT and beyond, where deterioration plateaued. This suggests the impact of T-cell immune fitness on PFS may be limited beyond the third LOT. Importantly, other covariates, including factors within the immune TME and tumor burden, may play a significant role in balancing this compromised intrinsic T-cell immune fitness at apheresis, thereby contributing to PFS durability after 3 pLOT. Overall, these results support increased benefits in treating pts with MM with cilta-cel in earlier LOTs.
Outcomes of bispecific T-cell engagers in MM patients with central nervous system (CNS) involvement
Gaballa, Mahmoud, Feng, Lei, Afrough, Aimaz, Banerjee, Rahul, Davis, James, Borogovac, Azra, Zanwar, Saurabh, Julian, Kelley, Biran, Noa, Puglianini, Omar Alexis Castaneda, Mikkilineni, Lekha, Ferreri, Christopher, Herr, Megan, Shune, Leyla, Bhurtel, Evguenia, Dima, Danai, Pasvolsky, Oren, Green, Kimberly, Janakiram, Murali, Hassan, Hamza, Kalariya, Nilesh, Corraes, Andre, Fogel, Lindsay, Singhal, Ruchi, Grajales-Cruz, Ariel, Blue, Brandon, Haider, Asad, Sannareddy, Aishwarya, Seif, Sherif, Thomas, Sheeba, Rana, Masooma, Ye, J Christine, Richards, Tiffany, Hosoya, Hitomi, Atrash, Shebli, Anderson, Larry, Goldsmith, Scott, Sidana, Surbhi, Voorhees, Peter, Sborov, Douglas, Lin, Yi, Portuguese, Andrew, Hansen, Doris, Patel, Krina, Sidana, Surbhi , Hosoya, Hitomi , Davis, James A. , Sidana, Surbhi , Davis, James A , Hosoya, Hitomi , Sannareddy, Aishwarya , Gaballa, Mahmoud, Feng, Lei, Afrough, Aimaz, Banerjee, Rahul, Davis, James, Borogovac, Azra, Zanwar, Saurabh, Julian, Kelley, Biran, Noa, Puglianini, Omar Alexis Castaneda, Mikkilineni, Lekha, Ferreri, Christopher, Herr, Megan, Shune, Leyla, Bhurtel, Evguenia, Dima, Danai, Pasvolsky, Oren, Green, Kimberly, Janakiram, Murali, Hassan, Hamza, Kalariya, Nilesh, Corraes, Andre, Fogel, Lindsay, Singhal, Ruchi, Grajales-Cruz, Ariel, Blue, Brandon, Haider, Asad, Seif, Sherif, Thomas, Sheeba, Rana, Masooma, Ye, J Christine, Richards, Tiffany, Atrash, Shebli, Anderson, Larry, Goldsmith, Scott, Voorhees, Peter, Sborov, Douglas, Lin, Yi, Portuguese, Andrew, Hansen, Doris, Patel, Krina

Blood | December 4, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 824-824

10.1182/blood-2025-824 Get It

Abstract Background Patients (pts) with multiple myeloma and CNS involvement (CNS MM) have poor outcomes, and we recently showed that CAR-T has activity and is reasonable in this population (Gaballa et al., 2025). We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Bispecific T-cell engagers (BsAbs) in CNS MM pts, with specific interest in evaluating ICANS. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of CNS MM pts treated with BsAbs via the MM immunotherapy consortium. Primary endpoints were toxicity rates, with a specific focus on ICANS. Secondary endpoints were systemic responses, CNS responses, and survival outcomes. CNS MM was defined as involvement of the brain parenchyma, spinal cord tissue, leptomeningeal disease, or CSF positivity. CNS response was determined based on CSF and imaging, as complete CNS response, partial CNS response, and non-response/progression. Results The study included 24 pts from 13 US institutions treated with teclistamab (33%), talquetamab (50%), elranatamab (17%), and were used as monotherapy in 83% while 17% received them in combination with either daratumumab or IMiDs. The median age was 64.5 (range 41-82), 50% female, 79% white, and 17% black. High-risk cytogenetics were identified in 39%, 4% had prior primary PCL, and 21% had secondary PCL (2 active within 30 days of BsAb initiation). All pts were triple-refractory, 33% were penta-refractory, and 39% had non-CNS EMD. Pts received a median of 5 prior lines of therapy (IQR 4-7), 71% prior transplant, and 21% prior CAR-T. Prior BCMA therapy was received in 83% of the talquetamab group and 17% of the BCMA BsAbs group (teclistamab and elranatamab). CNS disease was determined based on both imaging and CSF findings in 58%, imaging only in 33%, and CSF only in 8%. Site of CNS disease included 42% brain/cranial nerves, 13% spinal cord, or 46% with both. CNS disease was diagnosed prior to BsAb in 19 pts, with a median interval of 46 days (IQR 7-234), and 3 pts were identified within 2 weeks after BsAb initiation. Two pts identified at days 68 and 121 were included in the safety evaluation but excluded from the efficacy assessments. One pt received teclistamab and intrathecal chemotherapy (IT chemo) as a bridge to CAR-T and achieved a complete CNS response before CAR-T. CNS-directed therapy consisted of: 30% radiotherapy (RT), 30% IT chemo, 13% RT + IT chemo, 9% RT + surgery, and 4% steroids. CRS grade (G) 1-2 occurred in 50%, with no G3-4 CRS. ICANS G 1, 2, and 3 occurred in 13%, 21%, and 4%, respectively, with no G 4 ICANS. One pt developed delayed parkinsonism, and another developed leukoencephalopathy; both had CNS MM diagnosed pre-BsAbs and achieved a CNS response (1 complete, 1 partial). Infections occurred in 67% of pts, with 42% being severe, and 1 infection-related death. The systemic ORR of 18 evaluable pts was 67%, including 22% CR, 17% VGPR, and 28% PR. The overall CNS response of 19 evaluable pts was 58%, including 37% complete CNS response and 21% partial CNS response. Of 11 pts achieving a CNS response, 82% didn't have subsequent CNS progression. In 9 pts achieving CNS response after BsAb initiation, the median time to CNS response was 0.9 months (range 0.03-2.8), with an unreached median duration of CNS response. With a median follow-up of 11 months, the median PFS was 5.0 months (95% CI 2.5-NA) and OS was 12.2 months (95% CI 7.7-NA). No significant difference in median PFS (10.6 vs 4.6 months, p=0.11) or OS (20.2 vs 9.3 months, p=0.37) was observed between BCMA BsAbs (n=11) and talquetamab (n=11). Due to small sample limitation, no significant difference was observed in the median PFS (4.6 vs 8.2 months, p=0.48) or OS (20.2 vs 9.9 months, p=0.73) between BsAb monotherapy (n=19) and BsAb combination therapy (n=3). One pt who received teclistamab as a bridge to CAR-T achieved a complete CNS response and remains progression-free to date, demonstrating the best long-term outcome with a PFS of 674 days. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that BsAb use in pts with CNS MM is safe without increased incidence of ICANS. The use of BsAbs in combination with a multimodal CNS-directed approach led to an overall CNS response rate of 58% and an unreached median duration of CNS response. Previous studies (Gaballa et al., 2025) reported a 100% CNS response rate with CAR-T. In this study, 1 pt treated with BsAb as a bridge to CAR-T had the longest PFS, warranting further research to evaluate this combination's efficacy in this very high-risk population.
FSTL1 Orchestrates Metabolic‐Epigenetic Crosstalk: Glycolysis‐Dependent H3K18 Lactylation Drives Cartilage Fibrosis in Osteoarthritis
Lu, Feng , Yu, Yunyuan , Yin, Guangrong , Hu, Huiqun, Li, Shishuo , Tang, Yuting , Liu, Yimin , Li, Maoyuan, Wang, Liang , Zhao, Gongyin , Zhou, Baojun , Wang, Yuji , Wang, Yuji , Liu, Yimin, Wang, Liang liang, Xu, Chao

Advanced Science | November 26, 2025 | Volume: 13 | Issue: 8 | Pages: No page available

10.1002/advs.202512002 | PMID 41293926 Get It

Abstract The progression of osteoarthritis (OA) is fundamentally characterized by the aberrant transformation of chondrocytes into a fibrotic phenotype, although the precise molecular mechanisms involved remain inadequately understood. In this study, the interplay between epigenetic modifications and metabolic reprogramming during the activation of fibrocartilage cells in osteoarthritis was investigated. The findings demonstrate that FSTL1 markedly upregulates key glycolytic enzymes, including LDHA, HK2, and PKM, in chondrocytes, triggering a “glycolytic burst” that results in elevated intracellular lactate levels. This accumulated lactate acts as a precursor for epigenetic modifications, specifically promoting the lactylation of histone H3 lysine 18 (H3K18la) in fibrocartilage cells, thereby facilitating the transcriptional activation of critical fibrosis‐related genes such as Itga6, Cxcl10, and Parp16. Notably, pharmacological inhibition of the PI3K/mTOR pathway or lactate dehydrogenase significantly diminishes H3K18la levels and markers of chondrocyte fibrosis, while exogenous lactate supplementation can counteract this effect. In summary, this study unveils the core mechanism by which FSTL1 reshapes the epigenetic landscape of chondrocytes and drives the fibrotic process through the activation of the “glycolysis‐lactate‐H3K18la” cascade axis, offering a dual‐target intervention strategy for OA involving metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic modification.
Deep Learning for CT Synthesis in Radiotherapy
Guo, Yike, Luo, Yi , Hooshangnejad, Hamed , Zhang, Rui , Feng, Xue , Chen, Quan , Ngwa, Wilfred , Ding, Kai , Chen, Quan , Feng, Xue , Ding, Kai , Guo, Yike

Bioengineering | November 25, 2025 | Volume: 12 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 1297

10.3390/bioengineering12121297 | PMID 41463594 Get It

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), various deep learning (DL) methods have been introduced into radiation oncology. Among them, the generation of synthetic Computed Tomography (sCT) images has attracted increasing attention, as it supports different clinical scenarios, from image-guided adaptive radiotherapy (IGART) to the simulation-free workflow. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent studies on DL-based sCT synthesis in radiotherapy from multiple imaging modalities, including Cone-Beam CT (CBCT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and diagnostic CT, and discusses their clinical applications in CBCT-based online adaptive radiotherapy, MRI-guided radiotherapy, and simulation-free workflows. We also examine the architectures of representative DL models such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and generative adversarial networks (GANs) and summarize emerging training strategies. Finally, we discuss current challenges of clinical translation of DL algorithms into clinical practice and suggest potential directions for future research. Overall, this paper highlights the potential of AI-driven sCT generation to advance treatment planning by reducing imaging burden, improving dose accuracy, and accelerating workflow efficiency, thus ultimately improving the treatment outcome of patient care.