Advancing Cancer Immunotherapy: Unleashing the Potential of the Immunological Synapse

Dear Colleagues,

The immunological synapse, also known as the immune synapse, is a specialized cell–cell junction formed between immune cells, such as T cells and antigen-presenting cells. It serves as a dynamic interface where crucial signaling and communication occur, facilitating the activation and coordination of immune responses against pathogens and tumors. While cell adhesions like focal adhesions (integrins), adherens junctions (cadherins), and tight junctions (claudins) have been extensively studied over the past century, the immunological synapse remains comparatively less investigated. With recent breakthroughs in cancer immunology and substantial efforts and investments in drug discovery and development at the biochemical and molecular levels, the cellular adhesion structure of the immunological synapse has emerged as a focal point of interest for scientists and drug hunters alike. This Special Issue will primarily highlight the latest research advancements concerning the immunological synapse, including but not limited to:

• Structure and Formation—Investigating the molecular architecture, dynamic formation, and key proteins involved in immunological synapses.
• Signaling and Function—Examining signaling pathways, impact on immune-cell activation and proliferation, and cross-talk between immune cells and antigen-presenting cells in synapses.
• Role in Cancer Immunotherapy—Exploring synapse dysfunction in cancer immune evasion, role in immunotherapies' efficacy, and developing strategies for improved treatment outcomes.
• Microenvironment and Interactions—Understanding how the tumor microenvironment affects synapse formation; investigating interactions among immune, tumor, and stromal cells; and their influence on tumor immune response.
• Technological Advances—Developing real-time imaging techniques, computational modeling for synapse dynamics, and engineering synthetic synapses for targeted therapies.

Dr. Zhizhan Gu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• immunological synapse
• immune synapse
• heterophilic cell adhesion
• cancer immunotherapy
• TCR
• MHC class I and II
• immune checkpoints
• CAR T cell therapy