T cell dysfunctions in myelodysplastic syndromes

Escape from immune surveillance is a hallmark of cancer. Immune deregulation caused by intrinsic and extrinsic cellular factors, such as altered T cell functions, leads to immune exhaustion, loss of immune surveillance, and clonal proliferation of tumoral cells. The T cell immune system contributes to the pathogenesis, maintenance, and progression of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Here, we comprehensively reviewed our current biological knowledge of the T cell compartment in MDS and recent advances in the development of immunotherapeutic strategies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and T cell- and antibody-based adoptive therapies, that hold promise to improve the outcome of MDS patients.