Human Immunology News Volume 6.11 | Mar 20 2018

TOP STORY

City of Hope Researchers Find “Achilles’ Heel” in B Cell Tumors

In B cells, cancer-causing aberrations typically result in leukemia and lymphoma. Researchers report on the discovery of a new therapeutic target for these B cell malignancies. [Press release from City of Hope discussing online prepublication in Cell] Press Release | Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Sensitive and Frequent Identification of High Avidity Neo-Epitope Specific CD8⁺ T Cells in Immunotherapy-Naive Ovarian Cancer

Comprehensive and deep analysis of circulating and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for neo-epitope specific CD8⁺ T cells allowed prompt identification of oligoclonal and polyfunctional such cells from most immunotherapy-naive patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer studied. [Nat Commun] Full Article | Press Release

Constitutive STAT3 Phosphorylation and IL-6/IL-10 Co-Expression Are Associated with Impaired T-Cell Function in Tuberculosis Patients

The authors characterized blood samples from tuberculosis patients and healthy contacts from Ghana for Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific T-cell responses, constitutive cytokine production, and SOCS3 and pSTAT3 expression. [Cell Mol Immunol] Abstract

Methamphetamine Alters T Cell Cycle Entry and Progression: Role in Immune Dysfunction

Investigators evaluated the effects of methamphetamine (METH) on T cell cycle entry and progression following activation. Kinetic analyses of cell cycle progression of T-cell subsets exposed to METH demonstrated protracted G1/S phase transition and differentially regulated genes responsible for cell cycle regulation. [Cell Death Discov] Full Article

Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Induce PDL1⁺ Neutrophils through the IL6-STAT3 Pathway that Foster Immune Suppression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Researchers investigated the effect of hepatocellular carcinoma-derived cancer-associated fibroblasts (HCC-CAFs) on neutrophils and explored the biological role of this effect. They found that HCC-CAFs induced chemotaxis of neutrophils and protected them from spontaneous apoptosis. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Biotin Deficiency Induces Th1- and Th17-Mediated Proinflammatory Responses in Human CD4⁺ T Lymphocytes via Activation of the mTOR Signaling Pathway

Investigators examined the effect of biotin deficiency on human CD4⁺ T cell responses to determine their role in biotin deficiency–associated inflammation. They revealed that anti-CD3/CD28–stimulated CD4⁺ T cells cultured in biotin-deficient medium secreted significantly enhanced levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, TNF, and IL-17. [J Immunol] Abstract

Dynamic Changes in the Immunological Characteristics of T Lymphocytes in Surviving Patients with Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS)

The authors evaluated T-cell functionality and the expression of apoptotic/proliferation and activation/inhibition markers during acute severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome viral infection. [Int J Infect Dis] Abstract | Full Article

Vitamin D3 Inhibits the Proliferation of T Helper Cells, Downregulate CD4⁺ T Cell Cytokines and Upregulate Inhibitory Markers

Researchers aimed to understand the effect of 1 α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (vitamin D3) on human CD4⁺ T cell proliferation in antigen presenting cells free condition in vitro. [Hum Immunol] Abstract

Specific Interactions Measured by AFM on Living Cells between Peroxiredoxin-5 and TLR4: Relevance for Mechanisms of Innate Immunity

Scientists used force-distance curve-based atomic force microscopy to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which extracellular human peroxiredoxin 5 (PRDX5) can activate a proinflammatory response. Single-molecule experiments demonstrated that PRDX5 binds to purified Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) receptors, on macrophage-differentiated THP-1 cells, and on human TLR4-transfected CHO cells. [Cell Chem Biol] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Impaired TLR9 Responses in B Cells from Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Investigators found that systemic lupus erythematosus B cells from patients without hydroxychloroquine treatment displayed defective in vitro Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) responses, as illustrated by the impaired upregulation of B cell activation molecules and the diminished production of various cytokines including anti-inflammatory IL-10. [JCI Insight] Full Article

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B Cells in Multiple Sclerosis Therapy—A Comprehensive Review

The authors discuss, in detail, the immunobiology of B cells and their protective and destructive roles in multiple sclerosis pathogenesis. [Acta Neurol Scand] Abstract

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

Gamida Cell to Present Immune Reconstitution Data for its NiCord^® Program

Gamida Cell announced that new data on immune reconstitution from its Phase I/II study of NiCord in high-risk hematologic malignancies will be presented. [Press release from Gamida Cell discussing research presented at the 44^th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT), Lisbon] Press Release

Adaptimmune Announces Responses in Second Solid Tumor Indication with NY-ESO SPEAR T-Cells

Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc reported three partial responses, and one stable disease in the first four patients dosed with NY-ESO SPEAR T-cells in a second solid tumor, myxoid/round cell liposarcoma. [Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc] Press Release

Cesca Therapeutics Expands CAR-TXpress™ Intellectual Property Portfolio with Filing of New Patent Covering Cell Activation & Transduction

Cesca Therapeutics Inc. announced that the company’s device subsidiary, ThermoGenesis Corp., has filed a patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a method of further simplifying the processes of T-cell activation and transduction within the company’s proprietary CAR-TXpress workflow. [Cesca Therapeutics Inc.] Press Release

Chinese Leaders Create Super Science Ministry

Chinese leaders released plans to expand the powers of the country’s science and technology ministry. The beefed-up agency will continue to oversee science policy and major projects, but will take on extra responsibilities for funding research grants and for recruiting foreign scientists. [Nature News] Editorial

Reporter’s Notebook: House Budget Hearing Shows Science Chairman’s Impact on NSF Peer Review

Representative Lamar Smith has repeatedly criticized the peer-review process at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in Alexandria, Virginia, since becoming chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives’s science committee in 2013. It was no surprise, then, that during a hearing on NSF’s 2019 budget request he railed against a handful of grants from NSF’s $6 billion research portfolio as a waste of taxpayer dollars. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW 21^st American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) Annual Meeting
May 16-19, 2018
Chicago, Illinois, United States

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

NEW Postdoctoral Positions – Immunology, Genetics and Precision Medicine (Ludwig Boltzmann Institute)

Research Technologist – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Assistant/Associate Professor – Immunology (Saint Louis University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Allergic Disease Inflammation Research (La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology)

Postdoctoral Position – Immune Oncology (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer & Research Institute)

Scientist – Immune Tolerance (Moderna Therapeutics)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology and iPSCs (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Immunity and Inflammation (University of Illinois)

Principal Scientist – Immunosciences Drug Discovery (Bristol-Myers Squibb)

Postdoctoral Fellow – T-Cell Therapy (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

PhD Studentship – Treg Cell Research (Universitätsklinikum Carl-Gustav-Carus Dresden)

Postdoctoral Scientist Opportunities – Biomedical Research (Cedars-Sinai)

Senior Director – Immuno-Oncology Research (Alector LLC)

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