Human Immunology News Volume 1.00 | Mar 12 2013

PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Intraepithelial Type 1 Innate Lymphoid Cells Are a Unique Subset of IL-12- and IL-15-Responsive IFN-γ-Producing Cells
Scientists characterized a human innate lymphoid cell 1 (ILC1) subset that produced interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in response to interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-15 and had a unique integrin profile, intraepithelial location, hallmarks of TGF-β imprinting, and a memory-activated phenotype. [Immunity] Abstract

Cetuximab-Activated Natural Killer (NK) and Dendritic Cells (DC) Collaborate to Trigger Tumor Antigen-Specific T Cell Immunity in Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Flow cytometry was performed to quantify EGFR-specific T cells in cetuximab-treated head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. The effect of cetuximab on NK cell, DC, and T cell activation was measured using IFN-γ release assays and flow cytometry. FcRγIIIa polymorphism did not predict clinical outcome in cetuximab-treated HNC patients, however elevated circulating EGFR853-861-specific CD8+ T cells were found in cetuximab-treated HNC patients. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract

Rescue of Impaired NK Cell Activity in Hodgkin Lymphoma with Bispecific Antibodies In Vitro and in Patients
Scientists tested for functional natural killer (NK) cell defects in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and suggest an improvement of NK function by therapeutic means. They demonstrated that peripheral NK cells from patients with HL fail to eliminate HL cell lines in ex vivo killing assays. Impaired NK cell function correlated with elevated serum levels of soluble ligands for NK cell receptors NKp30 and NKG2D, factors known to constrict NK cell function. [Mol Ther] Full Article

Potential Contribution of a Novel Tax Epitope-Specific CD4+ T Cells to Graft-versus-Tax Effect in Adult T Cell Leukemia Patients after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Scientists showed that Tax-specific CD4+ as well as CD8+ T cell responses were induced in some adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma patients following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. [J Immunol] Abstract

The Different Immunoregulatory Functions on Dendritic Cells between Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Bone Marrow of Patients with Low-Risk or High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Researchers confirm that myelodysplastic syndrome-mesenchymal stem cells (MDS-MSC) mediate a potent inhibition of dendritic cells (DCs) differentiation. Additionally, MDS-MSC greatly alter DCs functions, including endocytosis, IL-12 secretion, their ability to inhibit T cell proliferation. Moreover, their results show that there are major differences in DC development and function between low-risk and high-risk MDS-MSC. [PLoS One] Full Article

The Ultra-Potent and Selective TLR8 Agonist VTX-294 Activates Human Newborn and Adult Leukocytes
The authors characterized the in vitro immuno-stimulatory activities of a novel benzazepine toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8) agonist, VTX-294, in comparison to imidazoquinolines that activate TLR8 (R-848; (TLR7/8) CL075; (TLR8/7)), with respect to activation of human newborn and adult leukocytes. [PLoS One]
Full Article | Press Release

Characterization of Regulatory T Cells in Decidua of Miscarriage Cases with Abnormal or Normal Fetal Chromosomal Content
Decreased regulatory T (Treg) cells have been reported in cases of recurrent pregnancy loss. To understand the role of Treg cells in human pregnancy, researchers studied the frequency, localization and characterization of Treg cells in the decidua. The frequency of Foxp3⁺ cells among CD3⁺CD8^– cells at the decidua basalis in cases of miscarriage with a normal embryo karyotype was significantly lower than in normally progressing pregnancies. However, those frequencies in miscarriage with an abnormal embryo karyotype were similar to normally progressing pregnancies. [J Reprod Immunol] Abstract | Full Article

Polyinosinic-Cytidylic Acid as an Adjuvant on Natural Killer- and Dendritic Cell-Mediated Antitumor Activities
Scientists examined the ability of E7(44-62) with polyinosinic-cytidylic acid to induce toll-like receptor 3 expression, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma mRNA expression, and tumor cell-killing activity in human natural killer cells as well as its ability to induce CD11c and CD86 expression and proliferation in human dendritic cells. [Tumour Biol] Abstract

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Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. and Resolve Therapeutics, LLC jointly announced that they have entered into a partnership to develop compounds for the treatment of lupus and other autoimmune diseases. [Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited] Press Release

BioLineRx’s EDP-14, for Treatment of Severe and Persistent Asthma, to Enter the Company’s Main Therapeutic Pipeline as BL-9010
BioLineRx announced that following promising pre-clinical data, EDP-14, for the treatment of severe and persistent asthma, has been added to the Company’s main therapeutic pipeline. [BioLineRx] Press Release

Advanced Cell Diagnostics Initiates Agreement to Study Biomarkers for Cancer Immunotherapy
Advanced Cell Diagnostics, Inc. (ACD) announced that they have entered into an agreement with The Johns Hopkins University on behalf of its Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins to use ACD’s proprietary RNAscope^® technology platform to validate novel biomarkers and drug targets for cancer immunotherapy. [Advanced Cell Diagnostics, Inc.] Press Release

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

NEW 26^th Annual Canadian Society for Immunology (CSI) Conference
April 5-8, 2013
Whistler, Canada

NEW 11^th Cancer Immunotherapy (CIMT) Annual Meeting
May 14-16, 2013
Mainz, Germany

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

Faculty Position – Human Immunology (Translational Health Science and Technology Institute)

Faculty Positions – Human and Translational Immunology (Yale University)

Assistant Professor – Cellular Mechanisms of Innate Immune Response (La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology)

Head of Immunology – Autoimmune Diseases and Inflammation (1881 EMD Serono, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Mechanisms of Autoimmune Diseases (University of Florida)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunology (Stanford University)

Research Fellow – Readership in Immunology (University of Edinburgh)

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