Human Immunology News Volume 1.40 | Dec 17 2013

Circulating Levels of Soluble MER in Lupus Reflect M2c Activation of Monocytes/Macrophages, Autoantibody Specificities and Disease Activity
Investigators aimed to determine if shedding of MER receptor tyrosine kinase and AXL into soluble(s) ectodomains was related to immunological and clinical aspects of systemic lupus erythematosus. [Arthritis Res Ther] Abstract | Full Article

Cytokine and Chemokine Patterns Across One Hundred Days following Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Children
Researchers mapped the cytokine response to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) by assaying fifty-one cytokines and chemokines each week for one hundred days in fifty-one children receiving allogeneic or autologous HSCT. [Biol Blood Marrow Transplant] Abstract

Impact of Alemtuzumab Treatment on the Survival and Function of Human Regulatory T Cells In Vitro
Since regulatory T (Treg) cells play an important role in the control of autoimmune responses, the effect of alemtuzumab on Treg cells was further studied in vitro. Alemtuzumab effectively mediated complement-dependent cytolysis of human T lymphocytes and the remaining population was enriched in T cells with a regulatory phenotype. [Immunology] Abstract

Oral Vitamin D Increases the Frequencies of CD38⁺ Human B Cells and Ameliorates IL-17 Producing T Cells
The authors assessed whether oral vitamin D supplementation leads to a systemic modulation of the phenotype of circulating lymphocyte populations and whether a defined serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration can be related to the effects on lymphocytes. [Exp Dermatol] Abstract

Properties of Human Blood Monocytes. II. Monocytes from Healthy Adults Are Highly Heterogeneous within and among Individuals
Blood samples from 200 healthy adults without known immunological abnormalities were examined by analysis with a hematology analyzer and by flow cytometry to determine leukocyte differential counts, to identify subsets and to measure expression of monocyte-associated molecules. [Cytometry B Clin Cytom] Abstract

Decreased Plasma IL-22 Levels and Correlations with IL-22-Producing T Helper Cells in Patients with New-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Plasma levels of IL-22 were measured in 41 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 20 healthy controls by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Meanwhile, the percentages of CD4⁺IFN-γ⁺, CD4⁺IL-17⁺ and CD4⁺IFN-γ-IL-17- IL-22⁺ cells in peripheral lymphocytes were determined by flow cytometry and plasma IL-22 autoantibodies were detected by ELISA in 19 new-onset SLE patients and 20 healthy controls. [Scand J Immunol] Abstract

Interleukin 17 Contributes to the Chronicity of Inflammatory Diseases Such as Rheumatoid Arthritis
The authors aim to depict a complete picture of the interleukin-17-driven vicious circle leading to rheumatoid arthritis chronicity and to pinpoint the key aspects that require further exploration. [Eur J Immunol] Abstract

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Kite Pharma’s Lead Program with the National Cancer Institute Demonstrates Positive Results in Patients with Aggressive Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Kite Pharma, Inc. announced positive clinical data demonstrating that Kite’s most advanced product candidate can produce robust and durable tumor shrinkage in patients with an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Researchers reported that an infusion of patients’ own genetically modified T lymphocytes resulted in six complete remissions and six partial remissions among 13 patients with advanced B-cell malignancies who were eligible for response assessment. [Press release from Kite Pharma, Inc. discussing research presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), New Orleans]
Press Release

Dr Sherene Loi Sheds New Light on Immunology of Breast Cancer at International Conference
Dr Sherene Loi has revealed the level of immune cells in tumors of women with HER2-positive breast cancer can indicate their benefit from pre-surgery chemotherapy and trustuzamab. [Press release from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre discussing research presented at the 2013 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, San Antonio] Press Release

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Researchers Evaluating Immunotherapy Approaches for Treating Metastatic Kidney, Prostate, Bladder Cancers
Researchers at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute Center for Immunotherapy are enrolling patients in three different clinical trials of novel immunotherapy approaches for treating genitourinary cancers. One of the studies will assess how patients’ immune systems respond to targeted radiation treatments for metastatic kidney cancer. Another will evaluate how patients’ immune systems respond to targeted radiation treatments for metastatic prostate cancer, in combination with immunotherapy, and a third will focus on a new type of immunotherapy for bladder cancer. [Roswell Park Cancer Institute] Press Release

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Bioinformatics Positions – Transcriptional Signatures of Vaccine Immunity in Humans (Emory Vaccine Center)

Chief Medical Officer – Novel Therapeutics in Oncology and Autoimmune Disease (Immunomedics, Inc.)

Clinical MD – Clinical Development Program for Oncology and Autoimmune Diseases (Immunomedics, Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Wound Healing/Fibrosis Research (University of Connecticut Health Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Tumor Immunology (National University of Singapore)

PhD Studentship – Systems Biology and Lymphocyte Activation (University of Oxford)

PhD Research Position – Immune Tolerance and Autoimmunity (Weizmann Institute of Science)

Research Technologist – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate/Scientist – Antibodies Group (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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