Human Immunology News Volume 5.45 | Nov 14 2017

TOP STORY

How Chronic Inflammation Tips the Balance of Immune Cells to Promote Liver Cancer

Researchers found that chronic liver inflammation also promotes cancer by suppressing immunosurveillance — a natural defense mechanism in which it’s thought the immune system suppresses cancer development. [Press release from UC San Diego discussing online prepublication in Nature] Press Release | Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Mucosa-Associated Invariant T Cells Link Intestinal Immunity with Antibacterial Immune Defects in Alcoholic Liver Disease

The authors analyzed frequency, phenotype, transcriptional regulation and function of blood mucosa-associated invariant T cells in severe alcoholic hepatitis, alcohol-related cirrhosis and healthy controls. [Gut] Full Article

Unique Phenotypes and Clonal Expansions of Human CD4 Effector Memory T Cells Re-Expressing CD45RA

Researchers showed that not only the frequency but also the phenotype of CD4 TEMRA cells are heterogeneous between individuals. These cells can be subdivided into two major subsets based on the expression of the adhesion G protein-coupled receptor GPR56, and GPR56⁺ TEMRA cells display a transcriptional and proteomic program with cytotoxic features that is distinct from effector memory T cells. [Nat Commun] Full Article

mTOR Intersects Antibody-Inducing Signals from TACI in Marginal Zone B Cells

The authors showed that mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) coordinates immunometabolic reconfiguration of marginal zone B cells, a pre-activated lymphocyte subset that mounts antibody responses to T-cell-independent antigens through a Toll-like receptor-amplified pathway involving transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI). [Nat Commun] Full Article

Repression of miR-31 by BCL6 Stabilizes the Helper Function of Human Follicular Helper T Cells

Investigators asked whether BCL6 controlled helper function through down-regulation of specific miRNAs. They assessed miRNA expression in follicular helper T (T_FH) cells and defined a T_FH-specific miRNA signature. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Tumor-Infiltrating Inflammatory and Immune Cells in Patients with Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Tumor infiltrating CD66b⁺ neutrophils, CD163⁺ M2 macrophages, CD8⁺ T cells, and FOXP3⁺ regulatory T cells were assayed by immunohistochemistry, and their relationships with patient clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis were evaluated. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

Dihydrotestosterone Levels at Birth Associate Positively with Higher Proportions of Circulating Immature/Naïve CD5⁺ B Cells in Boys

Boys had higher proportions of CD5⁺ and immature/transitional CD24^hiCD38^hi B cells, whereas girls had higher fractions of B cells with a memory phenotype at eight years of age. School-aged boys also presented with higher frequencies of Tregs, and a greater capacity to produce T-cell-associated cytokines. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Decreased Absolute Numbers of CD3⁺ T Cells and CD8⁺ T Cells during Aging in Herpes Zoster Patients

Researchers selected immunoglobulin and complement proteins as markers for humoral immunity, while T lymphocyte subsets and natural killer cells were selected as markers for cell immunity, to systematically study the characteristics of immune responses in the peripheral blood of herpes zoster patients. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Characterization of Macrophages from Schizophrenia Patients

Scientists used monocyte-derived macrophages as a model for macrophages and microglia in the CNS and examined two main functions: Inflammatory responses and expression and regulation of synapse refinement molecules. [npj Schizophrenia] Full Article

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Sentinels of the Type 2 Immune Response

The authors discuss advances in the understanding of the interacting cellular subsets that comprise both primary and secondary type 2 responses. [Trends Immunol] Abstract

Combining DNA Damaging Therapeutics with Immunotherapy: More Haste, Less Speed

Researchers discuss the emerging data of how DNA damaging agents can enhance the immunogenic properties of malignant cells, focusing especially on immunogenic cell death, and the expansion of neoantigen repertoires. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

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X4 Pharmaceuticals Presents Clinical Data Demonstrating Immune Activation through CXCR4 Pathway with X4P-001-IO

X4 Pharmaceuticals highlighted data from multiple presentations. The data, primarily generated from biopsies of tumors from melanoma patients, demonstrated important changes in the tumor microenvironment and the activation of tumor-specific immune cell responses following oral administration of X4P-001-IO, an investigational CXCR4 antagonist. [Press release from X4 Pharmaceuticals discussing research presented at the 32^nd Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Annual Meeting, National Harbor] Press Release

Stanford Receives Grant to Create Center for Support of Cancer Immunotherapy

The School of Medicine is one of four institutions to receive a grant from the National Cancer Institute to establish a Center for the Immune Monitoring and Analysis of Cancer. Together, the centers will form a network of laboratories to support adult and pediatric immunotherapy trials by analyzing patients’ immune phenotype and function and performing deep tumor profiling. [Stanford University] Press Release

Zymeworks Announces License Agreement with Johnson & Johnson Innovation to Develop and Commercialize Next Generation Bispecific Antibody Therapeutics

Zymeworks Inc. announced it has executed a licensing agreement with Janssen Biotech, Inc. Under the terms of the licensing agreement, Zymeworks will provide Janssen with a worldwide, royalty-bearing license to research, develop, and commercialize up to six bispecific antibodies directed to Janssen therapeutic targets using Zymeworks’ Azymetric™ and EFECT™ platforms. [Zymeworks Inc.] Press Release

ITUS Corporation Licenses CAR-T Technology from The Wistar Institute

ITUS Corporation announced that it has executed an exclusive worldwide license agreement with The Wistar Institute for a CAR-T technology aimed initially at treating ovarian cancer, and eventually additional solid tumors. [ITUS Corporation] Press Release

Graduate Students Face Alarming Tax Hike

The last thing that graduate students need is a tax hike. But that is what many would face under a clause in the federal-tax-reform bill passed by the US House of Representatives. It will need to be reconciled with the Senate’s tax-reform bill (which retains many existing student tax benefits), and signed by the president. [Nature News] Editorial

WHO Calls for Restrictions on Use of Antibiotics in Food Animal Production

The World Health Organization is urging countries to restrict the amount of antibiotics given in food animal production by prohibiting their routine use in growth promotion and disease prevention. The recommendation is one of a number the WHO issued aimed at preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics. [STAT News] Editorial

UK Government Appoints Next Chief Scientific Adviser

Patrick Vallance, president of research and development at the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, has been appointed as chief scientific adviser, the UK government announced. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Gordon Research Conferences: Food Allergy
January 7-12, 2018
Ventura, California, United States

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NEW Postdoctoral Position – Immunology (Ghent University)

NEW Postdoctoral Scientist – Molecular Genetics of Human T Cell Development (Ghent University)

Research Technologist – Immunotherapy (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Mucosal Immunology (University of Lorraine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Mucosal Infections (University of Utah)

Postdoctoral Training Fellow – B Cell Immunology (The Francis Crick Institute)

Postdoctoral Positions – Rare Immune Disorders (Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases)

Tenured Track Faculty – Regenerative and Immune Engineering (Johns Hopkins University Biomedical Engineering)

Scientist – Immune Oncology (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Immunology (University of Luxembourg)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Tumor Immunology (UT Southwestern Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology (University of Rochester Medical Center)

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