In this multicentre study, we investigated the predictive potential of early serum C-reactive protein (CRP) kinetics during 1st-line immunotherapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Out of 95 patients with mRCC, those with significant CRP flare-response or decrease in CRP levels had superior outcomes. This potential biomarker could improve therapy monitoring of mRCC and eventually also treatment stratification.

This work highlights the role of cell death ambiguity in neutrophils and its contribution to pathophysiology during critical COVID-19. The inflammatory COVID-19 environment provoked a TNF-α-induced necroptosis-sensitive neutrophil subpopulation, characterised by elevated release of DAMPs, increased RIPK1 levels and a pivotal role for MLKL. Neutrophil necroptosis through the RIPK1-RIPK3-MLKL axis was further confirmed in COVID-19 thrombus and lung biopsies. Blunted Fas engagement by sFasL was identified to drive elevated RIPK1 levels upon TNF-α-induced necroptosis, while decreased sFasL plasma levels in critically ill COVID-19 patients correlated to elevated disease severity, which was masked by glucocorticoid treatment.