Human Immunology News Volume 7.36 | Sep 17 2019

TOP STORY

B Cells Sustain Inflammation and Predict Response to Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Human Melanoma

Scientists showed that tumor associated B cells were vital to melanoma associated inflammation. Human B cells expressed pro- and anti-inflammatory factors and differentiated into plasmablast-like cells when exposed to autologous melanoma secretomes in vitro. [Nat Commun] Full Article | Press Release

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Extracellular Nicotinate Phosphoribosyltransferase Binds Toll Like Receptor 4 and Mediates Inflammation

Investigators showed that nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase, detected by antibody-mediated assays and mass spectrometry, was an extracellular ligand for toll-like receptor 4 and a critical mediator of inflammation, acting as a damage-associated molecular pattern. [Nat Commun] Full Article

TCR and Inflammatory Signals Tune Human MAIT Cells to Exert Specific Tissue Repair and Effector Functions

Although TCR triggering alone was insufficient to drive sustained activation, TCR-triggered MAIT cells showed specific enrichment of tissue-repair functions at the gene and protein levels and in in vitro assays. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

The Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen-1 Upregulates the Cellular Antioxidant Defense to Enable B-Cell Growth Transformation and Immortalization

Epstein-Barr virus carriage promoted the concomitant activation of oxo-dNTP sanitization and purging pathways, including upregulation of the nucleoside triphosphatase mut-T homolog 1 and the DNA glycosylases 8-oxoguanine-glycosylase-1 and mut-Y homolog. [Oncogene] Abstract

Tumor-Derived TGF-β Inhibits Mitochondrial Respiration to Suppress IFN-γ Production by Human CD4⁺ T Cells

Using human peripheral and tumor-associated lymphocytes, researchers investigated how tumor-derived transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) suppressed a key antitumor function of CD4⁺ T cells, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production. [Sci Signal] Full Article

Erythromycin Suppresses Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Smoking-Related Chronic Pulmonary Inflammation

Investigators found that elevated neutrophil extracellular trap levels in the sputum of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients were correlated with the circulating Th1 response, myeloid dendritic cell activation and airflow limitation. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

CD24^hiCD38^hi and CD24^hiCD27⁺ Human Regulatory B Cells Display Common and Distinct Functional Characteristics

The authors report that the frequency of IL-10-producing regulatory B cells (Bregs) in human peripheral blood, spleens, and tonsils was similar, but they displayed heterogenous surface phenotypes. Nonetheless, CD24^hiCD38^hi transitional B cells and CD24^hiCD27⁺ B cells were the major IL-10-producing B cells. [J Immunol] Abstract

Increased Regulatory B Cells Are Involved in Immune Evasion in Patients with Gastric Cancer

Scientists identified a role for regulatory B cells (Bregs) in immune evasion in gastric cancer (GC) patients. The frequency of peripheral Bregs was significantly higher in GC patients than in healthy controls. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Activation of Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells in the Lungs of Sarcoidosis Patients

Sarcoidosis patients with parenchymal infiltration in the lungs showed a significantly higher proportion and number of mucosal-associated invariant T cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid compared to patients without parenchymal infiltration. [Sci Rep] Full Article

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When Encephalitogenic T Cells Collaborate with Microglia in Multiple Sclerosis

Scientists summarize the mechanisms and consequences of T cell-microglia interactions as identified with in vitro experiments and animal models, and discuss the challenges that arise when translating this preclinical knowledge to multiple sclerosis in humans. [Nat Rev Neurol] Abstract

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First Study to Evaluate CytoSorb in Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) following CAR T-Cell Immunotherapy to Commence

CytoSorbents Corporation announced that Hannover Medical School in Germany will begin the first clinical study called CYTORELEASE, evaluating the use of CytoSorb in treating CRS and inflammation of the brain called CAR-related encephalopathy syndrome, following CAR-T cell immunotherapy. [CytoSorbents Corporation] Press Release

Precision BioSciences Announces FDA Clearance of the IND for PBCAR20A, a CD20 Targeting Genome Edited Allogeneic CAR T Therapy

Precision BioSciences, Inc. announced the FDA has accepted its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for PBCAR20A, the company’s second off-the-shelf chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy program. [Precision BioSciences, Inc.] Press Release

New Deals Could Help Scientific Societies Survive Open Access

A project that included funders backing Plan S, the European-led effort to speed the transition to open access, released a set of contract templates and tips meant to help small, independent publishers reach deals with libraries that would eventually eliminate subscriptions while protecting revenue. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Trump’s Top Scientist Outlines Plan to Reduce Foreign Influence on US Research

After months of outcry over whether the United States government is unfairly targeting foreign-born researchers over purported security breaches, President Donald Trump’s science adviser is launching an effort to strengthen national policies on research security. [Nature News] Editorial

Science under Maximum Pressure in Iran

From travel restrictions and publishing bans to currency collapse, the restoration of US sanctions has left researchers in Iran reeling. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW Targeting Immunometabolism in Autoimmune Diseases and Inflammation
October 22, 2019
New York, New York, United States

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NEW Resarch Technician – Immune Cells (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology)

Research Technologist (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientific Communications Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Human Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Immune Cell Culture (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Human Immunology (University of Gothenburg)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell Biology and Immunology (Columbia University)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Autoimmune Diseases (Benaroya Research Institute)

Senior Scientific Researcher – Inflammatory Diseases (Genentech, Inc.)

Research Assistant – Immunology (MD Anderson Cancer Center)

Preclinical Scientist – Immunology (MiroBio)

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

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