Human Immunology News 6.16 April 24, 2018 | |
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TOP STORYActivation of Human Natural Killer Cells by Graphene Oxide-Templated Antibody Nanoclusters Current immunotherapy biologic pharmaceuticals that activate or desensitize NK cells are individual molecules that do not replicate this nanoscale organization of proteins. Scientists used nanoscale graphene oxide as a template to generate soluble nanoscale clusters of natural killer cell-activating antibodies. [Nano Lett] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)Induction of Antitumor Cytotoxic Lymphocytes Using Engineered Human Primary Blood Dendritic Cells The authors report the development of immortalized and constitutively activated human primary blood dendritic cell lines (ihv-DCs). ihv-DCs that carry two allogeneic HLA-DRB1 alleles were able to prime autologous T cells to proliferate robustly in generating HLA-A2–restricted, human telomerase reverse transcriptase-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract T cell responses against Merkel cell polyomavirus T-antigen (Tag) epitopes were investigated by immunizing transgenic mice that express a diverse human T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire restricted to HLA-A2. Human lymphocytes genetically engineered to express Tag-specific TCRs were tested for specific reactivity against Merkel cell carcinoma cell lines. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract The authors comprehensively investigated the immune responses of human T-cells and the antigen presentation capacity of donor/host hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic antigen-presenting cells in xenogeneic graft-versus-host disease models using NOD/Shi-scid-IL2rgnull mice. [Biol Blood Marrow Transplant] Abstract Secreted factors from both non-activated and activated human astrocytes robustly supported human B cell survival. Soluble products of pre-activated astrocytes also induced B cell upregulation of antigen-presenting cell machinery, and these B cells, in turn, were more efficient activators of T cells. [J Neuroinflammation] Full Article Deviations of the Immune Cell Landscape between Healthy Liver and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Scientists assessed the relative proportions of immune cells in 41 healthy human livers, 305 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples and 82 HCC adjacent tissues. The obtained immune cell profiles provided enumeration and activation status of 22 immune cell subtypes. [Sci Rep] Full Article Investigators synthesized the keratin 17 (K17) protein from mRNA derived from hair follicles and tested whether it elicited T cell responses depending on the patient genotype at the major susceptibility locus HLA-Cw*06:02. They treated peripheral blood-derived cells with the K17 protein and its short fragments to assess the T cell proliferation response using flow cytometry. [Sci Rep] Full Article Researchers describe testing of multiple staining methods to detect FOXP3, the lineage-defining transcription factor for regulatory T cells (Tregs), by mass cytometry. Mass cytometry-based profiling of FOXP3+ cells from multiple different human tissues revealed tissue-specific Treg phenotypes. [Eur J Immunol] Abstract The authors studied the phenotype and function of human liver T cells expressing IL13Rα2. They found that IL13Rα2 was expressed by around 1% of liver resident memory T cells but not on circulating T cells. [Eur J Immunol] Abstract Scientists showed that primary human glioblastoma multiforme-1 cells were naturally eliminated by allogeneic Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes, through a perforin/granzyme-mediated cytotoxicity. IL-21 increased both intracellular granzyme B levels and cytotoxicity of allogeneic human Vγ9Vδ2 T lymphocytes in vitro. [J Immunother] Abstract Subscribe to our sister publications: Immunology of Infectious Disease News & Immune Regulation News. | |
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REVIEWSHuman Intraepithelial Lymphocytes The private/oligoclonal nature of the T cell receptor repertoire of both human and mouse intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) suggests local environmental factors dictate the specificity of IEL responses. [Mucosal Immunol] Abstract Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the human immunology research field. | |
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SCIENCE NEWSAbramson Cancer Canter Studies Show Promise of Immunotherapy Combinations, Including CAR T New studies are providing fresh clues on potentially effective combinations with CAR T therapy in brain cancer as well as a novel therapeutic target in head and neck cancer, and also providing greater understanding of the mechanisms of resistance in pancreatic cancer. [Press release from the University of Pennsylvania discussing research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2018, Chicago] Press Release Endocyte Presents Data from Its CAR T Platform Endocyte, Inc. announced in a late-breaking poster session the presentation of new research from Endocyte’s CAR T adaptor molecule platform. [Press release from Endocyte, Inc. discussing research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2018, Chicago] Press Release Celgene Corporation announced additional Phase III data analyses evaluating the efficacy and safety of ozanimod, a novel, oral, selective sphingosine 1-phosphate 1 and 5 receptor modulator, versus interferon beta-1a in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis. [Press release from Celgene Corporation discussing research to be presented at the 70th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), Los Angeles] Press Release | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSImmunovaccine Inc. announced that it has entered into an agreement with Incyte Corporation to expand their ongoing clinical trial collaboration. The companies plan to add a Phase II component to their ongoing Phase Ib combination study evaluating the safety and efficacy of Immunovaccine’s lead candidate, DXP-Survivac, in combination with Incyte’s IDO1 enzyme inhibitor epacadostat and low dose cyclophosphamide in advanced ovarian cancer patients. [Immunovaccine Inc.] Press Release The Emily Whitehead Foundation presented a check totaling $250,000 to Stephan A. Grupp, MD, PhD, Director of the Cancer Immunotherapy Frontier Program, and Section Chief of the Cellular Therapy and Transplant Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), benefitting cellular immunotherapy research at CHOP. [The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia] Press Release Cynata Therapeutics Limited announced that it has completed the filing of a patent application with IP Australia that would cover the therapeutic use of its Cymerus™ stem cell technology in the treatment of adverse reactions associated with CAR-T immunotherapy. [Cynata Therapeutics Limited (GlobeNewswire, Inc.)] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSKEI Sues NIH over License of CD30 CAR T Patents to Gilead Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) filed a lawsuit against the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to block or invalidate an exclusive license of patents on a new CAR T therapy to Gilead Sciences. [Knowledge Ecology International] Editorial The Salk Institute for Biological Studies has placed prominent cancer and gene therapy scientist Inder Verma on administrative leave and launched an investigation into allegations against him. [ScienceInsider] Editorial Women Less Successful When Applying for Patents Women inventors have less success than men at each step of the patent application process in the U.S., according to a study published this month in Nature Biotechnology. [The Scientist] Editorial
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EVENTSNEW Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO): Frontiers in Immunomodulation and Cancer Therapy Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW PhD Student – Immunology of Cell Death & Cancer Immunotherapy (KU Leuven) Research Technologist – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.) Scientist/Senior Scientist – Lentivirus Production (Obsidian Therapeutics) Scientist/Senior Scientist – Bioinformatics and Data Sciences (Obsidian Therapeutics) Postdoctoral Fellowship – Immune Signaling and Metabolism (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital) Research Scientist – Biomarker Development (Kymab) Postdoctoral Position – Onco-ImmunoMetabolism (San Raffaele Scientific Institute) Assistant/Associate Professor – Immunology (Saint Louis University) Postdoctoral Position – Immune Oncology (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer & Research Institute) Scientist – Immune Tolerance (Moderna Therapeutics) Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology and iPSCs (Stanford University) Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.
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