Human Immunology News Volume 6.22 | Jun 5 2018

TOP STORY

CLL Patient Treated at Penn Goes into Remission Thanks to Single CAR T Cell

Researchers say a patient treated for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 2013 went into remission because of a single chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell and the cells it produced as it multiplied, and has stayed cancer free in the five years since, with CAR T cells still present in his immune system. [Press release from Penn Medicine discussing online prepublication in Nature] Press Release | Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

T Cells Genetically Modified to Express an Anti-B-Cell Maturation Antigen Chimeric Antigen Receptor Cause Remissions of Poor-Prognosis Relapsed Multiple Myeloma

The authors conducted the first-in-humans clinical trial of T cells expressing a chimeric antigen receptor targeting B-cell maturation antigen (CAR-BCMA). Sixteen patients received 9 × 10⁶ CAR-BCMA T cells/kg at the highest dose level of the trial; they report results of these patients. [J Clin Oncol] Abstract

Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells Are a Profibrogenic Immune Cell Population in the Liver

Scientists showed that circulating mucosal-associated invariant T cells are reduced in patients with alcoholic or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-related cirrhosis while they accumulate in liver fibrotic septa. [Nat Commun] Full Article

TNF-Anti-TNF Immune Complexes Inhibit IL-12/IL-23 Secretion by Inflammatory Macrophages via an Fc-Dependent Mechanism

Cytokine production by human inflammatory macrophages was assessed at the level of RNA and/or protein. TNF-anti-TNF immune complex formation was determined by size-exclusion chromatography and signaling visualized by immunofluorescence. IL-12/IL-23p40 was measured in CD14⁺ lamina propria cells from inflammatory bowel disease patients. [J Crohns Colitis] Abstract

Resting T Cells Are Hypersensitive to DNA Damage Due to Defective DNA Repair Pathway

DNA damage in resting T cells activates the ATM/ATR/DNA-PKcs signaling pathway but fails to induce the formation of γH₂AX and 53BP1 foci, leading to unrepaired DNA damage that activates apoptosis in a p53-independent but JNK/p73-dependent manner. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Substantial Modification of the Gene Expression Profile following Exposure of Macrophages to Welding-Related Nanoparticles

Researchers performed an in-depth transcriptomic analysis of human macrophages exposed to a panel of welding-related metal oxide nanoparticles that were previously identified in welders lungs. [Sci Rep] Full Article

The Imbalance of Circulating T Helper Subsets and Regulatory T Cells in Patients with LRBA Deficiency: Correlation with Disease Severity

Scientists investigated the role of T helper cell subsets and regulatory T cells and their related cytokines and transcription factors in the immune dysregulation of lipopolysaccharides responsive beige-like anchor protein (LRBA) deficiency. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract

Aberrant T Cell Subsets and Cytokines Expression Profile in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The authors assessed T cell subsets and levels of chemokines and cytokines in patients with SLE and determined their relationships between disease activity and organ involvement. Blood samples from SLE patients and healthy controls were analyzed. [Clin Rheumatol] Abstract

Functional Heterogeneity of Circulating T Regulatory Cell Subsets in Breast Cancer Patients

Researchers investigated the number and suppressive potential of regulatory T cells that possess natural naïve-, effector/memory-like, and Tr1-like phenotypes in breast cancer patients and healthy women. [Breast Cancer] Abstract

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Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cells (CAR T-Cells) for Cancer Immunotherapy – Moving Target for Industry?

The race towards novel CAR T treatment options for cancer patients has begun, but without careful design of the constructs and overall understanding of the factors that impact the ultimate outcome in each case, the road towards commercial success may be long and winding. [Pharm Res] Full Article

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

MD Anderson and Amgen Announce Collaboration to Accelerate Early-Stage Treatments for Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, Small-Cell Lung and Other Small-Cell Cancers

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Amgen announced two multi-year collaboration agreements aimed at accelerating development of a variety of Amgen’s early-stage oncology therapies for patients with leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, multiple myeloma, small-cell lung cancer, and other non-lung cancers with small-cell histologies. [The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center] Press Release

Nanoparticles Take Immunotherapy in New Direction

Dr. Fan Zhang is using nanoparticles to take immunotherapy in a new direction. The American Brain Tumor Association awarded Zhang $100,000 to develop nanoparticles that can be used to reprogram tumor-infiltrating macrophages, a type of immune cell that eats cellular debris and diseased cells, to attack the cancer that surrounds them. [Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center] Press Release

Legend Announces FDA Clearance of IND Application on CAR-T Immuno-Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma

Legend Biotech announced that the FDA has authorized its development partner, Janssen Biotech, Inc., to commence a Phase Ib/II clinical trial in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LCARB38M, a chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy. [Legend Biotechnology] Press Release

TxCell Names Lonza as Its CAR-Treg Cellular Product Manufacturer

TxCell SA and Lonza Pharma & Biotech announced entering into a Master Service Agreement for the manufacture of TxCell’s HLA-A2 CAR-Treg cellular product, which is in development for the prevention of chronic rejection after organ transplantation. [Lonza] Press Release

Europe’s Top Science Funder Shows High-Risk Research Pays Off

A popular and unusual self-review carried out by Europe’s most prestigious science funder is back. The annual assessment, now in its third year, found that nearly one in five projects by the European Research Council led to a scientific breakthrough. [Nature News] Editorial

‘Right-to-Try’ Law Intended to Weaken the FDA, Measure’s Sponsor Says in Blunt Remarks

Sen. Ron Johnson, the author of the federal “right-to-try” law signed by President Trump this week, wants to make one thing clear: His new law is meant to weaken the FDA. “This law intends to diminish the FDA’s power over people’s lives, not increase it,” he wrote in a letter to Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. [STAT News] Editorial

China to Crack Down on Fraud in Scandal-Hit Scientific Research amid ZTE Wrangle

China has issued the first national guidelines to enforce academic integrity in scientific research and vowed to punish academics and institutes for misconduct such as plagiarism and fabrication of data. [South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd] Editorial

Sweden Commits to Open Science with New Open-Access Publishing Deal

Swedish researchers can now publish their articles in Frontiers’ Open Access journals through a simplified process that covers publishing fees, thanks to a national agreement announced between Frontiers and the National Library of Sweden, on behalf of the organizations participating in the Bibsam Consortium. [American Association for the Advancement of Science] Editorial

NEW International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) EU 2018 Regional Meeting
September 12-14, 2018
Firenze, Italy

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

NEW PhD Student Positions – Immunology (Multiple Locations)

Research Technologist – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Officer – Immunology (The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)

PhD Position – Characterization of the Immune Pathways that Stimulate Autoimmunity Caused By ADAR1 Deficiency (VIB)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology (Boston University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Innate Immune Signaling (Houston Methodist Research Institute)

PhD Student – Cancer Immunology (German Cancer Research Center)

Postdoctoral Fellows – Immunology (University of Oslo)

Postdoctoral Researcher Positions – Rapid Identification of Autoantigens in Autoimmune Disease (BioMed X Innovation Center)

PhD Student – Immunology of Cell Death & Cancer Immunotherapy (KU Leuven)

Scientist/Senior Scientist – Lentivirus Production (Obsidian Therapeutics)

Scientist/Senior Scientist – Bioinformatics and Data Sciences (Obsidian Therapeutics)

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