Human Immunology News Volume 5.00 | Jan 3 2017

TOP STORY

City of Hope Researchers Find CAR-T Cell Therapy Effective in Treatment of Glioblastoma

Scientists worldwide are working to develop treatments that harness the power of the immune system to fight cancer. Researchers have found that using CAR-T cell therapy, a type of immunotherapy, can be effective in the treatment of glioblastoma — one of the most aggressive brain tumors known to medicine. [Press release from City of Hope discussing online prepublication in The New England Journal of Medicine] Press Release | Abstract | Video

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

T Cell Repertoire Diversification Is Associated with Immune Related Toxicities following CTLA-4 Blockade in Cancer Patients

Because CTLA-4 blockade leads to proliferation of circulating T cells, researchers examined whether ipilimumab leads to clonal expansion of tissue-reactive T cells. [Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article

A Functional Polymorphism in the NKG2D Gene Modulates NK-Cell Cytotoxicity and Is Associated with Susceptibility to Human Papilloma Virus-Related Cancers

In a group of 123 patients with human papillomavirus⁺ anogenital cancers, the low cytotoxicity allele LNK was significantly associated with increased cancer susceptibility. Similar results were also observed in a group of 153 women with cervical cancer. In functional studies, NK cells from individuals with LNK genotype showed a lower NKG2D expression and displayed less efficient NKG2D-mediated functions than NK cells with HNK genotype. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Analysis of CXCR5⁺Th17 Cells in Relation to Disease Activity and TNF Inhibitor Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Researchers investigated CXCR5⁺Th17 cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) subjects with stable or active disease and before and after TNF inhibitor therapy. CXCR5⁺Th17 cell frequency was increased in RA compared to healthy controls, but other helper T cell subsets were not different. [Sci Rep] Full Article

IL-22 Promotes Fas Expression in Oligodendrocytes and Inhibits FOXP3 Expression in T Cells by Activating the NF-κB Pathway in Multiple Sclerosis

Scientists examined patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy control subjects and used the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis animal model to identify the effects of IL-22 on oligodendrocytes and T cells in MS development. [Mol Immunol] Abstract

Regulatory T Cells in Endemic Burkitt Lymphoma Patients Are Associated with Poor Outcomes: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study

The authors investigated regulatory and inflammatory T cell responses in endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) patients associated with clinical outcomes. By multi-parameter flow cytometry, they examined peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 38 eBL patients enrolled in a prospective cohort study in Kisumu, Kenya from 2008–2010, and 14 healthy age-matched Kenyan controls. [PLoS One] Full Article

Increased IL-35 Producing Tregs and CD19⁺IL-35⁺ Cells Are Associated with Disease Progression in Leprosy Patients

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from leprosy patients were isolated and stimulated with Mycobacterium leprae antigen for 48 hours. Intracellular cytokine IL-35 was evaluated in CD4⁺CD25⁺ Tregs, CD19⁺ cells by FACS. [Cytokine] Abstract

Risk Stratification of Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma Using Immunophenotyping

To refine the diagnosis and prognosis of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL), the authors characterized the immunophenotype of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected cells in ATL and non-ATL. A retrospective study of peripheral blood samples from 10 HTLV-1-uninfected subjects, 54 HTLV-1-infected patients with non-ATL, and 22 with ATL was performed using flow cytometry. [Cancer Med] Full Article

Co-Expression of TIM-3 and CEACAM1 Promotes T Cell Exhaustion in Colorectal Cancer Patients

To investigate the expression of T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain-3 (TIM-3) and carcinoembryonic antigen cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) on circulating CD8⁺ T cells and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), 65 diagnosed colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and 38 healthy controls were enrolled in this study and the results showed that TIM-3 and CEACAM1 were both highly expressed on circulating CD8⁺ T cells in CRC patients and elevated on TILs compared with paraneoplastic T cells. [Int Immunopharmacol] Abstract

Regulatory B Cell Is Critical in Bone Union Process through Suppressing Proinflammatory Cytokines and Stimulating Foxp3 in Treg Cells

Investigators examined the regulatory B cells in delayed union (DU)/non-union (DU/NU) patients. In bone fracture patients with normal healing, the frequency of interleukin (IL)-10-expressing B cells was significantly upregulated in the early healing process and was downregulated later on, whereas in DU/NU patients, the early upregulation of IL-10-expressing B cells was missing. [Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol] Abstract

Subscribe to our sister publications: Immunology of Infectious Disease News & Immune Regulation News.

Driving Gene-Engineered T Cell Immunotherapy of Cancer

The authors review the state of clinical gene-engineered T cell immunotherapy, its successes, challenges, and future. [Cell Res] Full Article

Vaccination to Gain Humoral Immune Memory

The authors review recent advances on the generation and maintenance of immune memory cells involved in humoral immunity and introduce a current concept of direct and short-term assessment of humoral immune memory formation upon vaccination as a correlate of protection. [Clin Transl Immunology] Full Article

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

GeNeuro Provides Update on GNbAC1 Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Program

GeNeuro provided an update on GNbAC1, its multiple sclerosis drug candidate. GNbAC1, the first drug candidate directly targeting a potential cause of multiple sclerosis, is a monoclonal antibody designed to neutralise MSRV-Env, a pathogenic protein which has been associated with both the inflammatory and neurodegenerative components of the disease. [GeNeuro SA] Press Release

Tiziana Life Sciences In-Licenses NI-1201, a Fully Human Anti-IL-6R Monoclonal Antibody

Tiziana Life Sciences plc announced the acquisition of an exclusive world-wide license for NI-1201, a fully human anti-interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) monoclonal antibody, from Novimmune SA. [Tiziana Life Sciences] Press Release

ImmuNext Enters into a Strategic Alliance to Develop Novel Therapies for Autoimmune Diseases

ImmuNext, Inc. announced that it has entered into an agreement with F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. focused on the development of novel therapeutics that modulate the immune system for the treatment of inflammation and autoimmune diseases. [ImmuNext, Inc. (Business Wire, Inc.)] Press Release

MaxCyte Announces Strategic Immuno-Oncology Collaboration to Advance New Generation of CAR-Based Cell Therapies

MaxCyte^®, Inc. announced a strategic collaboration with Washington University in St. Louis, a leading institution in acute myeloid leukemia research. [MaxCyte^®, Inc.] Press Release

Argentina’s Researchers Occupy Science Ministry

Hundreds of young researchers occupied Argentina’s science ministry in Buenos Aires last month, angry at budget cuts that they say have denied them permanent jobs at the country’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council. The occupation was the most extreme action yet by Argentinian scientists after months of protests at last year’s budget, the first under President Mauricio Macri. And the occupation seems to have paid off, in part: many of those involved have been offered extensions to their fellowships. [Nature News] Editorial

Scientists in Germany, Peru and Taiwan to Lose Access to Elsevier Journals

Thousands of scientists in Germany, Peru and Taiwan are preparing for a new year without online access to journals from the Dutch publishing giant Elsevier. Contract negotiations in both Germany and Taiwan broke down in December, while Peru’s government has cut off funding for a licence. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Keystone Symposium: Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy: Taking a Place in Mainstream Oncology
March 19-23, 2017
Whistler, Canada

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

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Visceral Pain and Neuro-Immune Interaction (KU Leuven)

NEW Scientist Positions – Immunology (New York Blood Center)

PhD Student – Cancer Research (University of Otago)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Melanoma (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)

Scientist/Senior Scientist – Immunology (Vor BioPharma)

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

Faculty Positions – Cancer Immunology (University of New Mexico)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunology of HIV-1 and Cancer (University of Alabama at Birmingham)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Molecular Immunology (University of California San Diego School of Medicine)

Assistant Associate – Cancer Immunology (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in Human Immunology News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.