Human Immunology News Volume 2.27 | Jul 22 2014

Intraindividual Genome Expression Analysis Reveals a Specific Molecular Signature of Psoriasis and Eczema
In patients affected by both psoriasis and nonatopic or atopic eczema simultaneously, an intraindividual comparison of the molecular signatures of psoriasis and eczema identified genes and signaling pathways regulated in common and exclusive for each disease across all patients. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract

Retinoic Acid Primes Human Dendritic Cells to Induce Gut-Homing, IL-10-Producing Regulatory T Cells
Researchers report a novel role of retinoic acid (RA) in immune regulation by showing that RA-conditioned human dendritic cells did not substantially enhance Foxp3 but induced α4β7⁺ CCR9⁺ T cells expressing high levels of interleukin-10, which were functional suppressive regulatory T cells. [Mucosal Immunol] Abstract

Human XCR1⁺ Dendritic Cells Derived In Vitro from CD34⁺ Progenitors Closely Resemble Blood Dendritic Cells, Including Their Adjuvant Responsiveness, Contrary to Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells
Researchers report a protocol generating both XCR1⁺ and XCR1⁻ human dendritic cells (DCs) in CD34⁺ progenitor cultures (CD34-DC). Gene expression profiling, phenotypic characterization, and functional studies demonstrated that XCR1⁻ CD34-DC are similar to canonical monocyte-derived DC, whereas XCR1⁺ CD34-DC resemble XCR1⁺ blood DC. [J Immunol] Abstract | Full Article

Antimony Resistant Leishmania donovani but Not Sensitive Ones Drives Greater Frequency of Potent T-Regulatory Cells upon Interaction with Human PBMCs: Role of IL-10 and TGF-β in Early Immune Response
Scientists reasoned that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy human beings could help compare immune signatures once exposed for up to 8 days to either pentavalent antimony sensitive or resistant Leishmania donovani isolates. [PLoS Negl Trop Dis] Full Article

Preparation of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Vaccine through Electrofusion with Day-3 Dendritic Cells
Researchers electrofused MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells with day-3 dendritic cells derived from peripheral blood monocytes, and explored the biological characteristics of the fusion vaccine and its anti-tumor effects in vitro. [PLoS One] Full Article

Membrane Expression of NK Receptors CD160 and CD158k Contributes to Delineate a Unique CD4⁺ T-Lymphocyte Subset in Normal and Mycosis Fungoides Skin
While most intestinal T lymphocytes express it, only a minor circulating CD4⁺ or CD8⁺ T lymphocyte subset is CD160⁺. Researchers describe a population of CD4⁺CD160⁺ human blood T lymphocytes of circulating cutaneous T cells. [Cytometry A] Abstract

Regulatory T-Cell MicroRNA Expression Changes in Children with Acute Kawasaki Disease
Previous studies have implicated that dysfunctional regulatory T cells (Tregs) may be associated with the immune dysfunction in Kawasaki disease (KD). Researchers investigated the effects of microRNA (miR)-155, miR-21 and miR-31 on Tregs in children with KD. [Clin Exp Immunol] Abstract

Increased Interleukin 21 and Follicular Helper T-Like Cells and Reduced Interleukin 10⁺ B Cells in Patients with New-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Researchers elucidated the potential role of follicular helper T cells and interleukin 10⁺ B cells in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus. [J Rheumatol] Abstract

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Therapeutic Vaccines for Cancer: An Overview of Clinical Trials
The authors provide an overview of new results from clinical studies of therapeutic cancer vaccines directed against tumor-associated antigens and discuss their implications for the use of active immunotherapy. [Nat Rev Clin Oncol] Abstract

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Lilly and Immunocore Enter Immunotherapy Agreement to Co-Discover and Co-Develop Novel Cancer Therapies
Eli Lilly and Company and Immunocore Limited announced they have entered into a co-discovery and co-development collaboration to research and potentially develop novel T cell-based cancer therapies. Using Immunocore’s Immune Mobilizing Monoclonal T-Cell Receptor Against Cancer technology, the companies will seek to use the power of the body’s own immune system to attack cancer cells. [Eli Lilly and Company] Press Release

Sorrento Awarded Grant from the National Institutes of Health for the Development of a Small Molecule Myc Inhibitor
Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. announced that it has received non-dilutive funding for the preclinical development of a small molecule inhibitor targeting the important oncogenic transcription factor Myc. Abnormal Myc activity is believed to play a substantial role in at least one out of every seven cancer deaths and is often a key factor in breast, lung, colon, hematologic, and other cancers. [Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

£1.3 Million Wellcome Award to Boost Immune System Research
A University of Dundee researcher has been awarded a £1.3 million grant to boost research into the workings of the immune system. [The University of Dundee] Press Release

Genocea Commences Phase II Dose Optimization Trial for GEN-003 HSV-2 Immunotherapy
Genocea Biosciences, Inc. announced the start of a Phase II dose optimization trial for GEN-003, the Company’s immunotherapy candidate against herpes simplex-type 2 (HSV-2). [Genocea Biosciences, Inc. ] Press Release

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NEW Professor – Medicine, Microbiology and Immunobiology (Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard)

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Human Heart Transplantation Immunology (Columbia University)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Human Immunology (University of Pennsylvania)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Molecular Mechanisms of Human T Helper Cell Differentiation (Turku Centre for Biotechnology)

Principal Investigator Positions – Systems & Synthetic Biology (Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Immune Focused In Vitro Analytics (Celentyx Ltd.)

Postdoctoral Positions – Cancer Immunology (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Postdoctoral Positions – Epigenetics in Autoimmune Diseases (Weill Cornell Medical School/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Scientist – Recombinant Molecules and Antibodies (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Media Development, High Throughput Screening (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Cell Culture Support Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Immunology/Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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