Human Immunology News Volume 5.37 | Sep 19 2017

TOP STORY

HIV-1-Mediated Insertional Activation of STAT5B and BACH2 Trigger Viral Reservoir in T Regulatory Cells

Researchers showed that in 30/87 patients under combination antiretroviral therapy, BACH2, and STAT5B are activated by insertions triggering the formation of mRNAs that contain viral sequences fused by splicing to their first protein-coding exon. [Nat Commun] Full Article

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Targeting the Vulnerability to NAD⁺ Depletion in B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Investigators showed that KPT-9274 strongly inhibits B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) cell growth regardless of cytogenetic abnormalities. They also demonstrated the potent in vivo efficacy and tolerability of KPT-9274 in a patient-derived xenograft murine model of B-ALL. [Leukemia] Abstract

T Cells Regulate Peripheral Naive Mature B Cell Survival by Cell–Cell Contact Mediated through SLAMF6 and SAP

The authors showed that naive B and T cells interact via the signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM) family receptor, SLAMF6. This interaction induces cell type–specific signals in both cell types, mediated by the SLAM-associated protein (SAP) family of adaptors. [J Immunol] Abstract

Activation of Human Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells Induces CD40L-Dependent Maturation of Monocyte-Derived and Primary Dendritic Cells

Researchers investigated the molecular mechanisms dictating the interactions between human mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and dendritic cells (DCs) and demonstrated that human MAIT cells mature monocyte-derived and primary DCs in an MR1- and CD40L-dependent manner. [J Immunol] Abstract | Full Article

Peripheral Human CD4⁺CD8⁺ T Lymphocytes Exhibit a Memory Phenotype and Enhanced Responses to IL-2, IL-7 and IL-15

Scientists performed an ex vivo characterization of CD4⁺CD8⁺ T lymphocytes from the blood of healthy individuals. They observed that CD4⁺CD8⁺ T lymphocytes exhibited several characteristics associated with memory T lymphocytes including the expression of chemokine receptors and activation markers. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Changes in CD73, CD39 and CD26 Expression on T-Lymphocytes of ANCA-Associated Vasculitis Patients Suggest Impairment in Adenosine Generation and Turn-Over

While in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic auto-antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis patients CD26 was increased on CD4⁺ lymphocytes, CD39 and CD73 were generally reduced on patients’ T-cells. In CD4⁺ cells significant differences in CD73 expression were confined to memory CD45RA^– cells, while in CD4^– lymphocytes differences were significant in both naïve CD45RA⁺ and memory CD45RA^– cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Human CD3+ T-Cells with the Anti-ERBB2 Chimeric Antigen Receptor Exhibit Efficient Targeting and Induce Apoptosis in ERBB2 Overexpressing Breast Cancer Cells

Investigators aimed to establish chimeric antigen receptor in CD3⁺ T-cells, isolated from human peripheral blood mononucleated cells that could subsequently target and induce apoptosis in the epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (ERBB2) overexpressing human breast cancer cell line, SKBR3. [Int J Mol Sci] Full Article

B-Cell Phenotype and IgD-CD27- Memory B Cells Are Affected by TNF-Inhibitors and Tocilizumab Treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Blood samples were collected from untreated early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, established RA patients under methotrexate treatment, established RA patients before and after treatment with TNF-inhibitors and tocilizumab, and healthy donors. B-cell subpopulations were characterized by flow cytometry and B-cell gene expression was analyzed by real-time PCR on isolated B-cells. [PLoS One] Full Article

Up-Regulation of Gap Junction in Peripheral Blood T Lymphocytes Contributes to the Inflammatory Response in Essential Hypertension

The authors investigated the role of connexins-based channels in T lymphocytes in the regulation of hypertension-mediated inflammation. [PLoS One] Full Article

FOXP3⁺ T Cells Are Present in Kidney Biopsy Samples in Children with Tubulointerstitial Nephritis and Uveitis Syndrome

To evaluate a possible role of regulatory T cells in the pathophysiology of tubulointerstitial nephritis with and without uveitis, scientists investigated the presence and quantity of FOXP3⁺ T regulatory lymphocytes in diagnostic kidney biopsies from pediatric patients. [Pediatr Nephrol] Abstract

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Liver-Resident NK Cells and Their Potential Functions

The authors present a brief historical perspective on the discovery of liver-resident natural killer (NK) cells and discuss their relationship to conventional NK cells and other emerging NK cell subsets and their potential functions. [Cell Mol Immunol] Abstract

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Poseida Therapeutics Presents Novel BCMA-Specific CAR-T Therapy

Poseida Therapeutics Inc. presented preclinical data on P-BCMA-101, the company’s BCMA-specific CAR-T drug candidate for the treatment of multiple myeloma. [Press release from Poseida Therapeutics Inc. discussing research presented at the CAR-TCR Summit on T Cell Immunotherapies, Boston] Press Release

Soligenix Announces $1.5 Million NCI SBIR Grant Award Supporting the Pivotal Phase III Clinical Trial of SGX301 for the Treatment of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

Soligenix, Inc. announced that the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded Soligenix a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant of approximately $1.5 million over two years to support the conduct of its pivotal, Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating SGX301 as a treatment for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. [Soligenix, Inc.] Press Release

Merck ‘Grant for Oncology Innovation’ Awards Recognize Recipients for Pushing Boundaries in Oncology Research

Merck announced recipients of the fourth annual Grant for Oncology Innovation awards. The three winners of this prestigious program were awarded €1 million in total to progress their research. [Merck KGaA (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

UCLA Opens First Engineered Blood Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Cancers with the NY-ESO-1 Tumor Marker

Scientists have initiated a Phase I clinical trial to test a novel cancer treatment for certain kinds of cancers that have a specific tumor marker called NY-ESO-1. [Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA] Press Release

Initial Clinical Results from Phase I Indicate that Vaccination with fimaVACC Enhances Cellular Immune Responses

PCI Biotech announced that the first immune response results from the fimaVACC Phase I study in healthy volunteers indicate enhanced overall T-cell responses at tolerable dose levels. [PCI Biotech] Press Release

They Got Hundreds of Thousands to Rally. Where Does the March for Science Go from Here?

The hundreds of thousands of people who rallied on the National Mall and in cities worldwide for the March for Science came to be noticed. But as two dozen of them met in New York the following month for a debrief, they faced an obvious reality: A grass-roots organization that was quickly formed to plan a singular event was not, at least immediately, equipped for far-reaching and long-term science advocacy. [STAT News] Editorial

U.S. House Approves 2018 Spending Bills, but Process Far from Finished

The U.S. House of Representatives took a major step toward setting federal science budgets for the 2018 fiscal year. But Congress is still far from the finish line, and final spending levels aren’t likely to be finalized until late this year at the earliest. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Immunobiology of Primary and Metastatic CNS Cancer: Multidisciplinary Science to Advance Cancer Immunotherapy
February 12-18, 2018
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NEW Research Scientist – Immuno-oncology (Kymab Ltd.)

Research Technologist – Immunotherapy (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Development of Immune System (Lund University)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Immunogenomics (University of Oxford)

Research Fellow – Mucosal Immunology (Malaghan Institute of Medical Research)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology Cell Based Assay (Turnstone Biologics Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology Relating to Type 1 Diabetes (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

Postdoctoral Scholar – Regulation of Immune Responses (University of Iowa)

Postdoctoral Fellowships – Immune Signaling and Metabolism (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital)

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Postdoctoral Researcher – Inflammatory Diseases (University of Pennsylvania)

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Postdoctoral Research Associate – Autoimmune Disease Research (Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason)

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