Human Immunology News Volume 7.01 | Jan 15 2019

TOP STORY

Naive T Cell Deficits at Diagnosis and after Chemotherapy Impair Cell Therapy Potential in Pediatric Cancers

Researchers found that patients with T cells enriched for naive and stem central memory cells expanded well in vitro, but the majority of tumor types showed chemotherapy related depletion of early lineage cells with a corresponding decline in successful ex vivo stimulation response. [Cancer Discov] Abstract

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Mutated Nucleophosmin 1 as Immunotherapy Target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

By searching the HLA class I ligandome of primary acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs), scientists identified multiple mutated nucleophosmin 1-derived peptides. For one of these peptides, HLA-A*02:01-binding CLAVEEVSL, they searched for specific T cells in healthy individuals using peptide-HLA tetramers. Tetramer-positive CD8⁺ T cells were isolated and analyzed for reactivity against primary AMLs. [J Clin Invest] Full Article

Comparison of Immune Infiltrates in Melanoma and Pancreatic Cancer Highlights VISTA as a Potential Target in Pancreatic Cancer

Researchers found that a pancreatic tumor has minimal to moderate infiltration of CD3, CD4, and CD8 T cells; however, the immune infiltrates were predominantly present in the stromal area of the tumor and were excluded from tumoral area compared with melanoma, where the immune infiltrates were primarily present in the tumoral area. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release

Nature of Coexisting Thyroid Autoimmune Disease Determines Success or Failure of Tumor Immunity in Thyroid Cancer

The authors analyzed data from 2633 consecutive patients with Graves disease (GD), Hashimoto thyroiditis, euthyroid Hashimoto thyroiditis (EHT) and non-autoimmune thyroid disease for the presence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). They investigated the microenvironment, and cellular mechanism of protection from DTC in GD/EHT by ex vivo aspirating infiltrates from thyroid samples. [J Immunother Cancer] Full Article

Deltex1 Suppresses T Cell Function and Is a Biomarker for Diagnosis and Disease Activity of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The influence of deltex1 (DTX1) on T cell function was evaluated using human primary cells. DTX1 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy controls and SLE patients was measured by quantitative real-time PCR and the SLEDAI was used to assess disease activity. [Rheumatology (Oxford)] Abstract

In Vitro‐Generated MART‐1‐Specific CD8 T Cells Display a Broader T Cell Receptor Repertoire than Naïve Ex Vivo and Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes

Investigators compared the TCR‐Vα/Vβ gene usage of major histocompatibility complex‐restricted antigen (MART‐1) specific T‐cells generated in vitro to that from ex vivo naïve T cells and tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes using high‐throughput DNA sequencing. [Immunol Cell Biol] Abstract

MUC16 Suppresses Human and Murine Innate Immune Responses

Researchers provide evidence of the regulatory role of MUC16 on human and murine NK cells and macrophages. Target cell cytolysis and doublet formation assays were performed to assess effects of MUC16 on human NK cells. [Gynecol Oncol] Abstract

Long Non-Coding PCED1B-AS1 Regulates Macrophage Apoptosis and Autophagy by Sponging miR-155 in Active Tuberculosis

The authors evaluated PCED1B-AS1 expression in the CD14⁺ monocytes from patients with active tuberculosis and from healthy individuals. They found that PCED1B-AS1 expression was down-regulated in patients with active tuberculosis, accompanied by significant attenuated monocyte apoptosis and enhanced autophagy. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

Relationship between NK Cell Activity and Glucose Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Prediabetes

Scientists assessed natural killer (NK) cell activity and various metabolic parameters in people with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and normal glucose tolerance. [J Diabetes Investig] Abstract | Full Article

Benign T Cells Drive Clinical Skin Inflammation in Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma

In low-burden patients, psoralen plus UVA reduced or eradicated malignant T cells and induced clonal expansion of CD8⁺ T cells associated with malignant T cell depletion. [JCI Insight] Full Article

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The Expression of FOXP3 and Its Role in Human Cancers

FOXP3 is a transcription factor, which belongs to the family of FOX protein. FOXP3 was initially discovered in regulatory T cells and supposed to play a significant role in the process of regulatory T cell differentiation. Increasing evidence has shown that FOXP3 is also expressed in tumor cells. [Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer] Full Article

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MD Anderson Cancer Center and Dragonfly Therapeutics Announce Strategic Collaboration to Take New Immunotherapy Candidates into Clinical Trials

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc., announced a strategic collaboration to bring Dragonfly’s TriNKET™ immunotherapy drug candidates to patients in clinical trials beginning in 2019. [The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center] Press Release

NantKwest Announces Launch of Merkel Cell Carcinoma Phase II Trial Deploying Novel Triple Combination of Off-the-Shelf Natural Killer haNK^Ⓡ Cell Therapy with Superagonist IL-15 Cytokine Therapy and PD-l1 Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy

NantKwest Inc. announced the launch of a novel triple combination, Phase II clinical trial in Merkel cell carcinoma. [NantKwest] Press Release

Open-Access Row Prompts Editorial Board of Elsevier Journal to Resign

The editorial board of an influential scientometrics journal — the Journal of Informetrics — has resigned in protest over the open-access policies of its publisher, Elsevier, and launched a competing publication. [Nature News] Editorial

If the Shutdown Drags on at FDA, It Will Put Anticipated New Treatments in Jeopardy

The government shutdown could soon jeopardize highly anticipated new drugs from Janssen, Sanofi and Novartis for depression, diabetes and multiple sclerosis, as well as a host of other potential new therapies, according to a STAT analysis of upcoming regulatory decision dates. [STAT News] Editorial

NEW The Tumor Cell: Plasticity, Progression and Therapy
March 3-6, 2019
New York, New York, United States

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology/Immunometabolism (Technische Universitat Braunschweig)

NEW PhD Student – Immunology/Cell Biology (Universitatsklinikum Munster)

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Cytokine-Producing B Cells (Inserm)

Research Technologist – Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology (Yonsei Cancer Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunology (University of California, San Francisco)

Senior Postdoctoral Scientist/Deputy Group Leader – Immunology (Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases)

Junior Principal Investigator – Immunology (Foundation FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology)

Assistant/Associate or Professor – Cancer Immunotherapy/Tumor Immunology (University of California, Irvine)

Supervisor – Transfusion Medicine – Immune, Progenitor, & Cell Therapy (Mayo Clinic)

Postdoctoral Position – Natural Killer Cells (The Scripps Research Institute)

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