Human Immunology News Volume 2.22 | Jun 10 2014

Human Memory T Cells from the Bone Marrow Are Resting and Maintain Long-Lasting Systemic Memory
Researchers showed that human bone marrow professional memory T cells are not activated but are resting in terms of proliferation, transcription, and mobility. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Abnormally Differentiated CD4⁺ or CD8⁺ T-Cells with Phenotypic and Genetic Features of Double Negative T-Cells in Human Fas Deficiency
Researchers showed that human autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) double negative T cells have features of terminally differentiated effector memory CD45RA⁺ (TREMA) cells, but are CD27⁺CD28⁺KLRG1^– and do not express the transcription factor T-bet. This unique phenotype was also detected among CD4⁺ or CD8⁺ ALPS TEMRA cells. [Blood] Abstract

IL-1β Promotes the Differentiation of Polyfunctional Human CCR6⁺CXCR3⁺ Th1/17 Cells That Are Specific for Pathogenic and Commensal Microbes
Scientists examined CCR6⁺CXCR3⁺ Th1/17 cells from healthy individuals and found that ex vivo these cells produced the effector cytokines IL-17, IL-22, and IFN-γ in all possible combinations and were highly responsive to both IL-12 and IL-23. [J Immunol] Abstract

Hemin Controls T Cell Polarization in Sickle Cell Alloimmunization
Because monocytes play a critical role in polarization of T cell subsets and participate in clearance of transfused RBCs, investigators tested the hypothesis that in response to the RBC breakdown product hemin, monocyte control of T cell polarization will differ between alloimmunized and non-alloimmunized sickle cell disease patients. [J Immunol] Abstract

Granulocytic Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Expand in Human Pregnancy and Modulate T-Cell Responses
Scientists demonstrate that myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) with a granulocytic phenotype are highly increased in the peripheral blood of healthy pregnant women during all stages of pregnancy compared with non-pregnant controls, whereas numbers of monocytic MDSCs were unchanged. [Eur J Immunol] Abstract

Human Renal Fibroblasts Generate Dendritic Cells with a Unique Regulatory Profile
Researchers investigated whether renal fibroblasts influence human dendritic cell generation and function. They found that co-culture with renal fibroblasts led to the generation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells with significantly reduced CD80, CD83 and CD86 but elevated B7H1 and B7DC expression. [Immunol Cell Biol] Abstract

Intense Foxp3⁺CD25⁺ Regulatory T Cell Infiltration Is Associated with High-Grade Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Counterbalanced by CD8⁺/Foxp3⁺CD25⁺ Ratio
Researchers evaluated the content and distribution of Foxp3⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T and CD123⁺ plasmacytoid dendritic cells infiltration and assessed CD8⁺/Foxp3⁺CD25⁺ cell ratio at peritumoral and intratumoral levels in 40 squamous cell carcinomas (20 well-differentiated G1, and 20 moderately- to poorly-differentiated G2-G3) to evidence a correlation with their aggressiveness. [Br J Dermatol] Abstract

Intrinsically De-Sialylated CD103⁺ CD8 T Cells Mediate Beneficial Anti-Glioma Immune Responses
Investigators showed by flow cytometry that murine and human CD103⁺ CD8 T cells respond better than their CD103^– counterparts to tumor peptide-MHC I stimulation in vitro and to tumor antigens on gliomas in vivo. [Cancer Immunol Immunother] Abstract

Interleukin-37 Mediates the Antitumor Activity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Role for CD57⁺ NK Cells
Interleukin (IL)-37 expression in tumor tissues was positively associated with the density of tumor-infiltrating CD57⁺ natural killer (NK) cells, but not with the CD3⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells. Consistently, in vitro chemotaxis analysis showed that IL-37- overexpressing hepatocellular carcinoma cells could recruit more NK cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

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Dendritic Cell Therapy in an Allogeneic-Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Setting: An Effective Strategy toward Better Disease Control?
Authors focus on the use of dendritic cell (DC) vaccination to prevent cancer relapses early after allo-hematopoietic cell transplantation. They describe the role of host and donor-DCs, various vaccination strategies, different DC subsets, antigen loading, DC maturation/activation, and injection sites and dose. [Front Immunol] Full Article

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Immune Therapy for Advanced Bladder Cancer Yields Promising Results
A multi-center phase I study using an investigational drug for advanced bladder cancer patients who did not respond to other treatments has shown promising results in patients with certain tumor types, researchers report. [Press release from Yale University discussing research presented at the 50^th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Chicago] Press Release

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Batu Biologics Announces FDA Development Plans for ValloVax™ Angiogenesis-Targeting Cancer Vaccine
Batu Biologics announced FDA development plans for its patent-pending lead product, ValloVax™, a cancer immunotherapeutic “vaccine” that specifically targets the tumor blood vessels. [Business Wire] Press Release

Antitope and Baylor Institute for Immunology Research to Collaborate to Produce Manufacturing Cell Line for Novel Therapeutic Dendritic-Cell-Targeting Vaccine
Baylor Institute for Immunology Research (BIIR) is developing a range of therapeutic vaccines for the treatment of cancer and other diseases, and Antitope will develop a cell line for the production of BIIR’s novel dendritic-cell-targeting vaccine for the treatment of head and neck and cervical cancer. [Abzena, Ltd.] Press Release

Kite Pharma Announces Exclusive License with the National Institutes of Health for T Cell Receptor-Based Products Targeting NY-ESO-1 for Multiple Cancer Indications
Kite Pharma, Inc. announced that it has entered into an exclusive, worldwide license with the National Institutes of Health to certain intellectual property related to T cell receptor-based product candidates that target the NY-ESO-1 antigen for the treatment of cancers expressing NY-ESO-1. [Kite Pharma, Inc.] Press Release

Immune Design Announces Treatment of First Patient in Phase I Clinical Trial of LV305 Immuno-Oncology Agent
Immune Design announced treatment of the first patient in a Phase I clinical trial of LV305, an immuno-oncology investigational agent from the company’s DCVex™ lentiviral vector platform. [Immune Design Corp] Press Release

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