Lenalidomide overcomes the immunosuppression of regulatory CD8CD28 T-cells.

Although lenalidomide and pomalidomide are well-established treatment options in patients with multiple myeloma, their immune-modulating effects are not fully understood. While CD8CD28 regulatory T-cells in patients with hematologic disorders display a known immune-escape mechanism, we show that lenalidomide can overcome the immunosuppressive impact of CD8CD28 T-cells. We analyzed the antigen-specific T-cell responses of healthy donors and patients with multiple myeloma with or without the addition of autologous CD8CD28 T-cells in the absence and presence of lenalidomide.