Human Immunology News Volume 3.31 | Aug 11 2015

TIGIT⁺ Circulating Follicular Helper T Cells Display Robust B Cell Help Functions: Potential Role in Sickle Cell Alloimmunization
Investigators showed that a previously unidentified subset of human circulating T follicular helper cells expressing TIGIT, the T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory domains, exhibit strong B cell help functions. [Haematologica] Abstract | Full Article

Human IL-21⁺IFN-γ⁺CD4⁺ T Cells in Nasal Polyps Are Regulated by IL-12
Scientists report that CD4⁺ T cells were the major IL-21-expressing cells in nasal polyp (NP) tissues and the majority of IL-21 producing CD4⁺ T cells co-expressed IFN-γ or IL-17A. IL-21⁺IFN-γ⁺CD4⁺ T cells in NP tissues exhibited the features of both Tfh and Th1 cells which co-expressed significantly higher amount of CXCR5, ICOS, PD-1, Bcl-6 and T-bet than did IL-21⁺IFN-γ⁻CD4⁺ T cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Quantitative and Qualitative Characterization of Expanded CD4⁺ T Cell Clones in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Using combination of a single-cell analysis and next-generation sequencing in TCR repertoire analysis, researchers revealed the detailed nature of expanded CD4⁺ T cell clones by examining peripheral blood from five rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and synovium from one RA patient. [Sci Rep] Full Article

mTOR Inhibition Per Se Induces Nuclear Localization of FOXP3 and Conversion of Invariant NKT (iNKT) Cells into Immunosuppressive Regulatory iNKT Cells
Researchers report that the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor rapamycin and IL-10, but not TGF-β, can induce FOXP3 expression in iNKT cell lines. [J Immunol] Abstract | Full Article

Progesterone Promotes Maternal-Fetal Tolerance by Reducing Human Maternal T-Cell Polyfunctionality and Inducing a Specific Cytokine Profile
Scientists report that exposure of maternal T cells to progesterone at physiological doses induced a unique skewing of the cytokine production profile of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, with reductions in potentially deleterious IFN-γ and TNF-α production but also reductions in IL-10 and IL-5. Conversely, production of IL-4 was increased. [Eur J Immunol] Abstract

1α,25-DihydroxyvitaminD3 Acts via TGFβ to Upregulate Expression of Immunosuppressive CD73 on Human CD4⁺Foxp3^– T Cells
Researchers investigated the direct impact of vitamin D (1α,25-dihydroxyvitaminD3) on expression of the downstream ecto-5’-nucleotidase CD73 by human CD4 T cells, and components of the TGFβ pathway which have been implicated in the modulation of CD73 by murine T cells. [Immunology] Abstract

Modification of β-Defensin-2 by Dicarbonyls Methylglyoxal and Glyoxal Inhibits Antibacterial and Chemotactic Function In Vitro
The effect of dicarbonyl on defensin peptide structure was tested by exposing recombinant human β-defensin-2 (rhBD-2) to methylgloxal or glyoxal with subsequent analysis by MALDI-TOF MS and LC/MS/MS. The effect of dicarbonyl on rhBD-2 chemotactic function was determined by chemotaxis assay in CEM-SS cells. [PLoS One] Full Article | Press Release

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Sanofi, Evotec and Apeiron Biologics Enter Collaboration to Develop Novel Small Molecule Immuno-Oncology Treatments
Sanofi announced that it has entered a research collaboration and license agreement with Evotec and Apeiron Biologics to discover and develop first-in-class small molecule-based immuno-oncology therapies to treat solid and hematological cancers by enhancing the anti-tumor activity of the human immune system. [Sanofi] Press Release

Medimmune Enters into Strategic Cancer Vaccine Collaboration and License Agreement with Inovio Pharmaceuticals
AstraZeneca announced that MedImmune, its global biologics research and development arm, has entered into a license agreement and collaboration with Inovio Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company developing DNA-based immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases. [AstraZeneca] Press Release

Newcastle Gets £5 Million to Boost Drug Development
Cancer Research UK’s Drug Discovery Committee has awarded Newcastle University’s Northern Institute of Cancer Research £5 million to bring more cancer drugs to clinical trials. [Cancer Research UK] Press Release

Cancer Research Institute to Honor Outstanding Contributions to Basic and Tumor Immunology Research
The Cancer Research Institute will bestow its highest honors on three scientists who have made fundamental contributions to the fields of immunology and cancer immunotherapy. [Cancer Research Institute] Press Release

Argos Therapeutics Announces Pilot Clinical Trial of AGS-003 as Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy for Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma
Argos Therapeutics Inc. announced the initiation of a single-center pilot clinical trial of AGS-003 as a neoadjuvant immunotherapy in patients with localized renal cell carcinoma. The study is being conducted at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and is designed to enroll a maximum of ten patients who will be treated with AGS-003 before nephrectomy in order to assess immune system response and tumor effects. [Argos Therapeutics Inc.] Press Release

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