Human Immunology News Volume 7.22 | Jun 11 2019

TOP STORY

Tumor-Associated Macrophages Exhibit Anti-Tumoral Properties in Sonic Hedgehog Medulloblastoma

Researchers report an unexpected beneficial role of tumor-associated macrophages in Sonic Hedgehog medulloblastoma. In human patients, decreased macrophage number was correlated with significantly poorer outcome. [Nat Commun] Full Article

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CD45RA⁺CCR7⁻ CD8 T Cells Lacking Co-Stimulatory Receptors Demonstrate Enhanced Frequency in Peripheral Blood of NSCLC Patients Responding to Nivolumab

To prospectively identify patients showing response to therapy, scientists stained peripheral blood samples of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with 2^nd line nivolumab, as well as healthy controls, with multiplex flow cytometry. They enumerated 18 immune cell subsets and assessed expression for 28 T cell markers, which was followed by dimensionality reduction as well as rationale-based analyses. [J Immunother Cancer] Full Article

Vitamin C Promotes the Proliferation and Effector Functions of Human γδ T Cells

The authors investigated the effects of vitamin C and its more stable derivative, L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, on the proliferation and effector function of human γδ T cells stimulated with zoledronate or synthetic phosphoantigens. [Cell Mol Immunol] Abstract

Prevalence of Anti-Adeno-Associated Virus Immune Responses in International Cohorts of Healthy Donors

As anti-adeno-associated virus (AAV) T-cell responses are believed to influence transduction, investigators characterized anti-AAV T-cell responses using interleukin-2 and interferon-γ ELISpot assays, revealing a similar prevalence of interferon-γ responses against different serotypes that did not correlate with neutralizing antibodies. [Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev] Abstract | Full Article

H7N9 Influenza A Virus Activation of Necroptosis in Human Monocytes Links Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses

To better understand H7N9 pathogenesis in relation to monocyte cell death, the authors showed that extensive phosphorylation of mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein occurred concurrently with the activation of caspases-8, -9 and -3 in H7N9-infected monocytes at six hours post infection, indicating that apoptosis and necroptosis pathways were simultaneously activated. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

The RIG-I Pathway Is Involved in Peripheral T Cell Lymphopenia in Patients with Dermatomyositis

Researchers determined retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) expression in peripheral T lymphocytes and explored the correlation between RIG-I and T cell lymphopenia in dermatomyositis. [Arthritis Res Ther] Full Article

VEGF Impairs the Motility and Immune Function of Human Mature Dendritic Cells through VEGFR2‐RhoA‐Cofilin1 Pathway

Scientists showed that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can impair the migration capacity and immune function of mature dendritic cells (mDCs) through RhoA‐cofilin1 pathway mediated by the VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), suggesting that impaired motility of mDCs by VEGF is one of the aspects of immune escape mechanisms of tumors. [Cancer Sci] Abstract

Orthotopic Replacement of T-Cell Receptor α- and β-Chains with Preservation of Near-Physiological T-Cell Function

Investigators report the outcomes and validation, using five different T-cell receptors (TCRs), of the use of CRISPR-Cas9 with non-virally delivered template DNA for the elimination of endogenous TCR chains and for the orthotopic placement of TCRs in human T cells. [Nat Biomed Eng] Abstract

Post-Treatment Improvement of NK Cell Numbers Predicts Better Survival in Myeloma Patients Treated with Thalidomide-Based Regimens

The authors determined lymphocyte subsets (B, T, NK, NKT, iNKT, dendritic cells, and regulatory T cells) in 68 newly diagnosed patients and 113 healthy donors. [Int J Hematol] Abstract

TRAV1-2⁺ CD8⁺ T-Cells including Oligoconal Expansions of MAIT Cells Are Enriched in the Airways in Human Tuberculosis

Researchers report that a population of pro-inflammatory TRAV1-2⁺ CD8⁺ T cells were present in the airways and lungs of healthy individuals and were enriched in bronchoalveolar fluid of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. High-throughput T cell receptor analysis revealed oligoclonal expansions of canonical and donor-unique TRAV1-2⁺ mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT)-consistent TCRα sequences within this population. [Commun Biol] Full Article

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Immune Cell Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The authors focus on hepatocellular carcinoma among other solid tumors and discuss the current status and future of immune cell therapy in cancer immunotherapy. [J Hematol Oncol] Full Article

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the human immunology research field.

Merck to Acquire Tilos Therapeutics

Merck announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Tilos Therapeutics, a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics targeting the latent TGFβ complex for the treatment of cancer, fibrosis and autoimmune diseases. [Merck & Co., Inc.] Press Release

Kiadis Pharma Completes Acquisition of Cytosen Therapeutics, Inc.

Kiadis Pharma N.V. announced that it has closed the previously announced acquisition of CytoSen Therapeutics, Inc. [Kiadis Pharma N.V.] Press Release

Allogene Therapeutics Announces FDA Clearance of the IND for ALLO-715, a BCMA Allogeneic CAR T (AlloCAR T™) Therapy

Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the FDA has cleared Allogene’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for ALLO-715 in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. [Allogene Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Stem Cell Clinics Co-Opt Clinical-Trials Registry to Market Unproven Therapies, Critics Say

On the one hand, the FDA issued a letter stating that what an Arizona distributor was selling as stem cell therapies were “unapproved” and posed “safety concerns.” On the other, a National Institutes of Health database — clinicaltrials.gov — went right on listing the same merchant’s studies, with a link to the company’s website and the word “Recruiting” displayed invitingly in green. [STAT News] Editorial

Sudanese Academics Defiant as Revolution Turns Bloody

Sudan’s universities are shut, flights have been suspended and the Internet remains almost entirely blocked after a brutal crackdown in which paramilitaries are thought to have killed some 100 pro-democracy protestors. But none of this has dented the resolve of the protestors, whose ranks include several prominent academics and whose demands include freeing universities from government influence. [Nature News] Editorial

Wellcome Sanger Institute to Close Animal Facility

The Wellcome Sanger Institute announced that it would be closing its animal facility, which provides mice, zebrafish, rats, and frogs to geneticists at the institute and internationally, reports Nature. The institute states that the closure is related to the growing use of cell lines and organoids, instead of animals. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW World Vaccine Congress Europe
October 29-31, 2019
Barcelona, Spain

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Faculty Position – Immunology and Ion Channels (NYU Langone Health)

NEW Scientific Manager – Immunology (MD Anderson Cancer Center)

NEW Senior Research Assistant – Immunology (MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology (Boston University)

PhD Position – Infection Biology/Mucosal Immunology (RWTH University Hospital)

Researcher – Tumor Responses to Radiotherapy & Immunotherapy (University Hospital of Northern Norway)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunology (KU Leuven)

Postdoctoral Opportunities – Tumor Microenvironment/Immunology (Oregon Health & Science University)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Mucosal Immunology and the Microbiome (Massachusetts General Hospital)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Immunology and Bioengineering (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunology of Enteric Infections (University of Utah)

Director of Research – Division of Translational Medicine & Human Genetics (University of Pennsylvania)

Assistant/Associate or Professor – Cancer Immunotherapy/Tumor Immunology (University of California, Irvine)

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