Human Immunology News Volume 4.30 | Aug 2 2016

TOP STORY

CD19 CAR Immune Pressure Induces B-Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Lineage Switch Exposing Inherent Leukemic Plasticity

Pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia originates from a committed pre-B cell or an earlier progenitor, with potential to reprogram into other hematopoietic lineages. Scientists report changes in lineage markers including myeloid conversion in patients following CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapy. [Nat Commun] Full Article

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HLA-DPB1 Mismatch Alleles Represent Powerful Leukemia Rejection Antigens in CD4 T-Cell Immunotherapy after Allogeneic Stem-Cell Transplantation

Scientists showed that primary in vitro stimulation of CD45RA-selected CD4 T cells of stem-cell donors with 10/10 HLA-matched AML blasts results in expansion of cytolytic T-lymphocytes that almost all recognize HLA-DPB1 mismatch alleles, which clinically occur in up to 80% of donor-patient pairs. [Leukemia] Abstract

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Receptor Is Expressed by Most Ovarian Cancer Subtypes and Is a Safe and Effective Immunotherapeutic Target

The effectiveness of human T-cells targeted with full-length follicle-stimulating hormone in vivo was determined against a panel of patient-derived xenografts. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract | Press Release

Clinical-Grade Human Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells Block CD8⁺ Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes

The interaction between MultiStem and CD8⁺ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) was addressed for the first time. In an in vitro setting, the immunogenicity of MultiStem, the susceptibility of MultiStem toward CTL-mediated lysis, and its effects on CTL function were investigated. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

Phenotypic and Functional Characteristics of IL-21-Expressing CD8⁺ T Cells in Human Nasal Polyps

Researchers analyzed cell markers, cytokine expression and transcription factors in IL-21-expressing CD8⁺ T cells in polyp tissues of nasal polyp patients. [Sci Rep] Full Article

FcγRIIB-Independent Mechanisms Controlling Membrane Localization of the Inhibitory Phosphatase SHIP in Human B Cells

The authors found that SHIP is indistinguishably recruited to the plasma membrane after BCR stimulation with or without FcγRIIB coligation in human cell lines and primary cells. [J Immunol] Abstract

Increased THEMIS First Exon Usage in CD4⁺ T-Cells Is Associated with a Genotype that Is Protective against Multiple Sclerosis

The authors demonstrated mutually exclusive use of exon 1 and 2 amongst 16 novel THEMIS isoforms. They also showed inverse correlation between THEMIS expression in human CD4⁺ T-cells and dosage of the multiple sclerosis risk allele at rs13204742, driven by reduced expression of exon 1- containing isoforms. [PLoS One] Full Article

T Helper Cell Activation and Expansion Is Sensitive to Glutaminase Inhibition under Both Hypoxic and Normoxic Conditions

Researchers investigated the expression, localization and role of GLS1 and GLUL in naïve and activated human CD4⁺ T cells stimulated through the CD3 and CD28 receptors under normoxia and hypoxia. [PLoS One] Full Article

Survival of Autoreactive T Lymphocytes by MicroRNA-Mediated Regulation of Apoptosis through TRAIL and Fas in Type 1 Diabetes

The authors tested the hypothesis that uncontrolled expansion of diabetogenic T cells in patients occurs, resulting from failure to activate apoptosis. They compared function, transcriptome and epigenetic regulation thereof in relation with fate upon repeated exposure to islet-autoantigen of islet autoreactive T cells from healthy and type 1 diabetic donors with identical islet epitope specificity and HLA-A2 restriction. [Genes Immunity] Abstract

CD4⁺/CD25^high/FoxP3⁺/CD127⁻ Regulatory T Cells in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid of Lung Cancer Patients

Investigators compared the presence of regulatory T cells in the local lung cancer environment versus systemic immune response based on the examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and peripheral blood from the same patient. [Hum Immunol] Abstract

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The Human Intestinal B-Cell Response

The intestinal immune system is chronically challenged by a huge plethora of antigens derived from the lumen. B-cell responses in organized gut-associated lymphoid tissues and regional lymph nodes that are driven chronically by gut antigens generate the largest population of antibody-producing cells in the body: the gut lamina propria plasma cells. [Mucosal Immunol] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the human immunology research field.

Regeneron and Adicet Bio Announce Strategic Collaboration to Discover and Develop Next-Generation Engineered Immune Cell Therapeutics

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Adicet Bio, Inc. announced a collaboration and licensing agreement to develop next-generation engineered immune cell therapeutics. The companies plan to engineer immune cells with fully human chimeric antigen receptors and T-cell receptors directed to disease-specific cell surface antigens in order to enable the precise engagement and killing of tumor cells. [Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

Neon Therapeutics Announces FDA Acceptance of Investigational New Drug Application for Cancer Vaccine NEO-PV-01

Neon Therapeutics announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company’s Investigational New Drug application for its lead program, NEO-PV-01. [Neon Therapeutics] Press Release

Cancer Research Institute to Honor Three Scientists for Outstanding Contributions to Cancer Immunotherapy 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 immunology. [The Cancer Research Institute] Press Release

NEW Adoptive T-Cell Therapy Summit 2016
October 10-11, 2016
London, United Kingdom

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – CRISPR/Cas9 Screens in Immune Cells (Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute)

Research Associate – Immunology and Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Technical Sales Representative (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Bioengineering (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Senior Scientist – Immunology and Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Principal Investigator – Cancer Immunology/Immunotherapy (Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Immunology (Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunology (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Microbiology, Immunology, Biochemistry (The University of Tennessee Health Science Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology and Cancer Immunology (Fox Chase Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Molecular/Cellular Immunology (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Postdoctoral Position – Mucosal immunology (KU Leuven)

Tenure Track Positions – Chemical Immunology (Institute for Chemical Immunology)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine (Stanford University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Immune Focused In Vitro Research (Celentyx Ltd)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Thymic and Immune Regeneration (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

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