Human Immunology News Volume 3.20 | May 26 2015

Clonal Deletion Prunes but Does Not Eliminate Self-Specific αβ CD8⁺ T Lymphocytes
Researchers found that self-peptide MHC-specific CD8⁺ T cells in the blood of healthy humans were present in frequencies similar to those specific for non-self antigens. [Immunity] Abstract | Press Release

Adoptive Transfer of Activated Marrow-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Induces Measurable Antitumor Immunity in the Bone Marrow in Multiple Myeloma
Scientists hypothesized that adoptive T cell therapy using marrow-infiltrating lymphocytes (MILs) in multiple myeloma (MM) could impart greater antitumor immunity in that they were obtained from the tumor microenvironment. They describe the results from the first clinical trial using MILs in MM. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract | Press Release

The Neutrophil-Recruiting Chemokine GCP-2/CXCL6 Is Expressed in Cystic Fibrosis Airways and Retains Its Functional Properties after Binding to Extracellular DNA
Granulocyte chemotactic protein 2 (GCP-2)/CXCL6 (chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 6), a neutrophil-activating chemokine with bactericidal properties, was detected in the airway epithelium of cystic fibrosis patients and was also present in azurophilic and specific granules of neutrophils. Elastase of neutrophils, but not of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, completely degraded CXCL6. [Mucosal Immunol] Abstract

Factors Involved in CLL Pathogenesis and Cell Survival Are Disrupted by Differentiation of CLL B-Cells into Antibody-Secreting Cells
Researchers investigated changes in the immunophenotypic, molecular, functional, morphological features associated with terminal differentiation into antibody-secreting cells, the expression of factors involved in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) pathogenesis, and the expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins in the differentiated cells. [Oncotarget] Full Article

The Catalytic Activity of the Kinase ZAP-70 Mediates Basal Signaling and Negative Feedback of the T Cell Receptor Pathway
Researchers performed a mass spectrometry–based phosphoproteomic study comparing the quantitative differences in the temporal dynamics of phosphorylation in stimulated and unstimulated T cells with or without inhibition of ZAP-70 catalytic activity. [Sci Signal] Abstract

Maternal Obesity Alters Immune Cell Frequencies and Responses in Umbilical Cord Blood Samples
Investigators examined the relationship between maternal body weight and the human neonatal immune system. Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from infants born to lean, overweight, and obese mothers. Frequency and function of major innate and adaptive immune cell populations were quantified using flow cytometry and multiplex analysis of circulating factors. [Pediatr Allergy Immunol] Abstract | Press Release

Trichuris suis Soluble Products Induce Rab7b Expression and Limit TLR4 Responses in Human Dendritic Cells
Investigators determined the effects of T. suis soluble products on Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4)-stimulated human dendritic cells using Illumina bead chip gene arrays. [Genes Immun] Abstract

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Amphivena Therapeutics to Present Data on Novel Cancer Immunotherapy
Amphivena Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the company will present data from its novel cancer immunotherapy program in acute myeloid leukemia for the first time in three poster presentations. [Press release from Amphivena Therapeutics, Inc. (MarketWatch, Inc.) discussing research to be presented at the 2015 American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Chicago] Press Release

Genocea Announces Positive Top-Line Phase II Data for Genital Herpes Immunotherapy GEN-003
Genocea Biosciences, Inc. announced positive top-line data from a Phase II dose optimization trial evaluating GEN-003 for the treatment of genital herpes. [Genocea Biosciences, Inc.] Press Release

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Researchers Developing Ground-Breaking Therapeutic Cancer Vaccine
A novel way of treating cancer using immunotherapy has been discovered in a joint research venture between Victoria University and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, and is on track to being tested on cancer patients. [Victoria University (Medical Xpress)] Press Release

CVac Shows Overall Survival Benefit in Second Remission Ovarian Cancer Phase II Study
Prima BioMed Ltd. announced that the final CVac data from the Phase II CAN-003 ovarian cancer clinical trial has shown a clear trend for a clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival over standard of care in second remission patients. [Prima BioMed Ltd.] Press Release

Regeneus Receives Approval for Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy Trial
Regeneus has received ethics approval to commence its first-in-human trial for a personalized therapeutic cancer vaccine that is aimed at harnessing the body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells. [Regeneus Ltd.] Press Release

Batu Biologics Files Patent on Blood Derived Anti-Cancer Immunomodulator
Batu Biologics announced filing of a patent application covering a recent finding by the company regarding ability to stimulate innate immune system through products that are coaxed out of white blood cells by stimulation with non-toxic agents. [Batu Biologics (Business Wire)] Press Release

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Immune Reconstitution in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (Stanford University)

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