Human Immunology News Volume 7.03 | Jan 29 2019

TOP STORY

Hobit- and Blimp-1-Driven CD4⁺ Tissue-Resident Memory T Cells Control Chronic Intestinal Inflammation

Investigators characterized tissue-resident memory T cells in human inflammatory bowel disease and in experimental models of intestinal inflammation. [Nat Immunol] Abstract | Press Release

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

The Short Chain Fatty Acid Butyrate Imprints an Antimicrobial Program in Macrophages

The authors showed that macrophages differentiated in the presence of the bacterial metabolite butyrate displayed enhanced antimicrobial activity. [Immunity] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

T Cells Genetically Engineered to Overcome Death Signaling Enhance Adoptive Cancer Immunotherapy

Researchers discovered that FASLG, the gene encoding the apoptosis-inducing ligand FasL, was overexpressed within the majority of human tumor microenvironments. Further, they uncovered that Fas, the receptor for FasL, was highly expressed on patient-derived T cells used for clinical adoptive cell transfer. [J Clin Invest] Abstract | Press Release | Full Article

Memory T Cells Targeting Oncogenic Mutations Detected in Peripheral Blood of Epithelial Cancer Patients

Using a highly sensitive in vitro stimulation and cell enrichment of peripheral memory T cells from six metastatic cancer patients, scientists identified and isolated CD4⁺, and CD8⁺ memory T cells targeting the mutated KRAS^G12D and KRAS^G12V variants, respectively, in three patients. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Self-Reactive CD4⁺ IL-3⁺ T Cells Amplify Autoimmune Inflammation in Myocarditis by Inciting Monocyte Chemotaxis

Investigators identified an IL-3-dependent amplification loop that exacerbates autoimmune inflammation. In experimental myocarditis, they showed that effector organ-accumulating autoreactive IL-3⁺ CD4⁺ T cells stimulated IL-3R⁺ tissue macrophages to produce monocyte-attracting chemokines. [J Exp Med] Abstract

miR-221/222-Mediated Inhibition of Autophagy Promotes Dexamethasone Resistance in Multiple Myeloma

The authors demonstrated that miR-221/222 were upregulated in plasma cells from patients with multiple myeloma, especially those with relapsed/refractory disease. [Mol Ther] Abstract

High-Efficiency Lentiviral Transduction of Human CD34⁺ Cells in High-Density Cell Culture with Poloxamer and Prostaglandin E2 Supplementation

Researchers improved lentiviral transduction in human CD34⁺ cells. High-density culture conditions resulted in ~5-fold more efficient transduction in CD34⁺ cells, compared to a standard cell-density. [Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev] Abstract | Full Article

Local Anaesthetics Upregulate Nitric Oxide Generation in Cord Blood and Adult Human Neutrophils

Nitric oxide generation was evaluated in neutrophils from cord blood and adult blood following exposure to bupivacaine, lidocaine and ropivacaine using flow cytometry, as well as indirectly by determining nitrite concentrations in cell incubation media. [Sci Rep] Full Article

BCR-Associated Factors Driving Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells Proliferation Ex Vivo

Scientists investigated benefits of several B cell receptor (BCR) co-stimulatory molecules in multiple culture conditions. They demonstrated that BCR engagement concomitant to CD40 ligand, IL-4 and IL-21 stimulation allowed chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells proliferation ex vivo. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Effects of Vitamin D Supplements on Frequency of CD4⁺ T-Cell Subsets in Women with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study

Researchers showed that cholecalciferol supplementation caused a significant decrease in Th17/Tr1 ratio. The proportion and mean fluorescent intensity of Th1, Th2, Tr1 and Th17 cells included no significant changes in vitamin D group, compared to those in placebo group. [Eur J Clin Nutr] Abstract

Macrophage Proliferation Distinguishes 2 Subgroups of Knee Osteoarthritis Patients

Scientists investigated macrophage phenotype and gene expression in synovial tissue of osteoarthritis (OA) and inflammatory-arthritis (IA) patients. Compared with IA, OA synovial tissue contained higher but variable proportions of macrophages. [JCI Insight] Full Article

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The Myeloid Cell Compartment—Cell by Cell

Myeloid cells are a major cellular compartment of the immune system comprising monocytes, dendritic cells, tissue macrophages, and granulocytes. Models of cellular ontogeny, activation, differentiation, and tissue-specific functions of myeloid cells have been revisited during the last years with surprising results. [Annu Rev Immunol] Abstract

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B-MoGen Biotechnologies and CytoSen Therapeutics Partner on Research Collaboration to Develop Next Generation Natural Killer Cells for Human Therapeutics

B-MoGen Biotechnologies, Inc. and CytoSen Therapeutics announced a research collaboration to develop the next generation of gene-modified natural killer cell (NK) therapies. B-MoGen will utilize its expertise in genetic design and its patented non-viral gene delivery platform in conjunction with CytoSen’s nanoparticle expansion platform to improve efficacy and reduce cost of NK cell therapeutics. [B-MoGen Biotechnologies, Inc.] Press Release

Agenus Closes $150 Million Immuno-Oncology Transaction with Gilead

Agenus Inc. announced the closing of its immuno-oncology partnership deal with Gilead Sciences, Inc. focused on the development and commercialization of up to five novel immuno-oncology therapies. [Agenus Inc.] Press Release

Allogene Therapeutics, in Collaboration with Servier, Announces FDA Clearance of the IND for ALLO-501, an Anti-CD19 Allogeneic CAR T (AlloCAR T™) Therapy

Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the FDA has cleared Allogene’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for ALLO-501 in patients with relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma. [Allogene Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Innate Pharma Receives FDA Fast Track Designation for IPH4102 in Relapsed or Refractory Sézary Syndrome

Innate Pharma SA announced that the FDA has granted Fast Track designation to IPH4102 for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory Sézary syndrome who have received at least two prior systemic therapies. [Innate Pharma SA] Press Release

CARsgen Therapeutics Receives IND Clearance for GPC3-CAR-T Cells from the NMPA

CARsgen Therapeutics announced that one of its leading drug candidates, humanized GPC3-CAR-T cell for the treatment of patients suffering from GPC3-positive solid tumors, has received Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). [CARsgen Therapeutics (PR Newswire Association, LLC.)] Press Release

Anixa Biosciences CAR-T Cancer Therapy Patent Receives Notice of Allowance

Anixa Biosciences, Inc. announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for the first patent covering Anixa subsidiary, Certainty Therapeutics, Inc.’s, CAR-T cancer treatment technology. [Anixa Biosciences, Inc.] Press Release

Scientists Protest Plan to Weaken US Gender-Discrimination Law

A controversial US government proposal to change the law that prohibits gender discrimination in education has drawn more than 89,000 public comments, including many from scientists. At issue is the future of Title IX, the 1972 statute that is the primary legal weapon for battling sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct in US academia. [Nature News] Editorial

FDA Staff Return to Work, but Threat of Second Shutdown Looms

FDA staff are returning to paid work after the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. But with temporary funding set to lapse Feb. 15 and President Donald Trump skeptical a deal can be reached, the agency may be plunged back into a shutdown in less than three weeks. [FierceBiotech] Editorial

NEW 2019 Stanford Drug Discovery Symposium
April 22-23, 2019
Palo Alto, California, United States

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NEW Junior or Senior Technician – Immunology and Cell Biology (VIB)

Research Technologist – Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

PhD Student Position – Immunology (Universitätsmedizin Göttingen)

Investigator Positions – Cancer Immunology (University of Alabama Birmingham)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology/Immunometabolism (Technische Universitat Braunschweig)

PhD Student – Immunology/Cell Biology (Universitatsklinikum Munster)

Postdoctoral Position – Cytokine-Producing B Cells (Inserm)

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)

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