Pathobiological Features and Therapeutic Opportunities Linked to TNF Family Member Expression in Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma

Abstract

The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family, which includes 19 ligands and 29 receptors, influences cellular proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The TNF family plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), particularly through its influence on the tumor microenvironment (TME). Hodgkin Reed–Sternberg (HRS) cells, the hallmark of classic HL (cHL), exhibit overexpression of TNF receptor family members such as CD30 and CD40. Given the critical roles of CD30 and CD40 in the survival and proliferation of HRS cells within the TME, targeting these TNF receptors represents a promising therapeutic strategy; therapies that target CD30 have already shown efficacy in clinical settings. The programmed death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis plays a crucial role in immune evasion by HRS cells, which express PD-L1 that interacts with PD-1 on T cells, leading to T cell exhaustion and a diminished immune response against the tumor. By blocking this interaction, checkpoint inhibitors such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab have demonstrated high response rates in patients with cHL, particularly in those who have not responded to conventional therapies. The integration of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with standard chemotherapy regimens has improved outcomes for patients with advanced-stage cHL. By understanding how TNF signaling interacts with immune checkpoints, researchers can design more effective treatment regimens that simultaneously target multiple pathways. Combining TNF inhibitors with checkpoint blockade therapies may enhance the overall anti-tumor response by addressing both direct tumor signaling and the immune evasion mechanisms employed by tumor cells.