Human Immunology News Volume 7.04 | Feb 5 2019

TOP STORY

Use of Expression Profiles of HBV DNA Integrated Into Genomes of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Select T Cells for Immunotherapy

Scientists investigated whether integrated hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA fragments encode epitopes that are recognized by T cells and whether their presence in hepatocellular carcinomas can be used to select HBV-specific T-cell receptors for immunotherapy. [Gastroenterology] Abstract | Full Article

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

HIV-1 Reservoirs in Urethral Macrophages of Patients under Suppressive Antiretroviral Therapy

Researchers showed, using penile tissues from HIV-1-infected individuals under suppressive combination antiretroviral therapy, that urethral macrophages contain integrated HIV-1 DNA, RNA, proteins and intact virions in virus-containing compartment-like structures, whereas viral components remain undetectable in urethral T cells. [Nat Microbiol] Abstract

Remodeling of Secretory Lysosomes during Education Tunes Functional Potential in NK Cells

The authors showed that educated natural killer (NK) cells expressing self-MHC specific inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors accumulate granzyme B in dense-core secretory lysosomes that converge close to the centrosome. [Nat Commun] Full Article

The Cholesterol Biosynthesis Pathway Regulates IL-10 Expression in Human Th1 Cells

Pathway analysis of cultured cytokine-producing human T cells revealed a significant association between IL-10 and cholesterol metabolism gene expression. [Nat Commun] Full Article

RNA-Seq Signatures Normalized by mRNA Abundance Allow Absolute Deconvolution of Human Immune Cell Types

Investigators characterized 29 immune cell types within the peripheral blood mononuclear cell fraction of healthy donors using RNA-seq and flow cytometry. The dataset was used to identify sets of genes that are specific, are co-expressed, and have housekeeping roles across the 29 cell types. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Tumor-Reactive T Cell Subsets in the Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer

Thirty-four tumor specimens were obtained from 33 individual patients with ovarian cancer. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were analyzed for phenotype, antigen specificity and functionality. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

The Value of a Rapid Test of Human Regulatory T Cell Function Needs to Be Revised

Researchers demonstrated that the observed decrease in activation marker frequency on responder T cells is due to competition for αCD3/28-coated microbeads as opposed to a regulatory T cells (T_REG)-attributable effect and therefore the protocol cannot further be used as a diagnostic test to assess suppressive T_REG function. [Front Immunol] Full Article

The PI3K p110δ Isoform Inhibitor Idelalisib Preferentially Inhibits Human Regulatory T Cell Function

Scientists showed that human regulatory T cells are highly susceptible to PI3Kδ inactivation using idelalisib compared with CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ effector T cells as evident from effects on anti-CD3/CD28/CD2-induced proliferation and acting at the level of AKT and NF-κB phosphorylation. [J Immunol] Abstract

Differential Expression and Regulation of the Non-Integrin 37/67-kDa Laminin Receptor on Peripheral Blood Leukocytes of Healthy Individuals and Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

The authors found laminin receptor was constitutively expressed on all peripheral blood monocytes and a subset of B cells from healthy individuals and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and it was abundantly present in synovial tissue of patients with RA. [Sci Rep] Full Article

T-Cell Frequencies of CD8⁺ γδ and CD27⁺ γδ Cells in the Stem Cell Graft Predict the Outcome after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Graft composition of γδ cell subsets was analyzed and correlated to clinical outcome in 105 recipients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation between 2013 and 2016. The authors demonstrated for the first time that grafts containing higher T-cell proportions of CD8⁺ γδ cells were associated with increased cumulative incidence of acute graft versus host disease grade II-III. [Bone Marrow Transplant] Abstract

CRISPR-Mediated Editing of the B Cell Receptor in Primary Human B Cells

Scientists report CRISPR-mediated homologous recombination into the B cell receptor of primary human B cells. Ribonucleoprotein delivery enabled editing at the model CXCR4 locus, as demonstrated by T7E1 assay, flow cytometry, and TIDE analysis. [iScience] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

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Macrophages as Regulators of Tumor Immunity and Immunotherapy

With the increasing impact of cancer immunotherapy, macrophage targeting is now being evaluated in this context. The authors discuss the results of clinical trials and the future of combinatorial immunotherapy. [Nat Rev Immunol] Abstract

Interrogating B Cell Signaling Pathways: A Quest for Novel Therapies for Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Although targeting genetic variants in mantle cell lymphoma is not yet feasible in the clinical setting, the identification and targeting of increasingly active B cell signaling pathways may be a viable therapeutic strategy that may improve patient outcomes. [Sci Signal] Full Article

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

IBBR Awarded NIH Grant to Investigate T Cell Biology toward Development of Biotherapeutics

A team of investigators from the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) and the University of Pittsburgh recently received a $3.6M National Institutes of Health (NIH) award to expand the scope of their T cell research. [Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

Hitachi Chemical Co. Ltd. to Acquire apceth Biopharma GmbH, Expanding Global Footprint of Its Cell and Gene Therapy Contract Development and Manufacturing Services

Hitachi Chemical Advanced Therapeutics Solutions, LLC announced an agreement by which apceth Biopharma GmbH will join Hitachi Chemical’s PCT global services platform. [Hitachi Chemical Advanced Therapeutics Solutions, LLC (Business Wire, Inc.)] Press Release

Thousands of Scientists Run Up against Elsevier’s Paywall

Researchers at German institutions that have let their Elsevier subscriptions lapse while negotiating a new deal are hitting the paywall for the publisher’s most recent articles around 10,000 times a day, according to Elsevier — which publishes more than 400,000 papers each year. [Nature News] Editorial

After Shutdown, NSF Catching Up on Review Panels, Funding Requests

When the US government was partially shut down for 35 days starting December 22, work at several government agencies ground to a halt, with a total of 800,000 federal employees furloughed. The National Science Foundation (NSF), one of the sidelined science agencies, is now addressing all that went undone during that time, NSF officials told reporters. [The Scientist] Editorial

Rookies Lead the Way on House Science Panel

A major perk of being the majority party in the U.S. Congress is getting to fill the leadership slots on every committee. For several new Democratic legislators, however, having their party regain control of the House of Representatives also creates an unprecedented opportunity to shape U.S. science policy. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Indian Government to Boost Stipend for Early-Career Scientists

The Indian government announced that it will increase the stipend for PhD students who have qualified for a research fellowship by up to 25%. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Keystone Symposia: Skin Health & Disease: Immune, Epithelial & Microbiome Crosstalk
April 8-11, 2019
Hannover, Germany

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

NEW Staff Scientist – Immunology (Cellzome)

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Tumor Immune Evasion (Luxembourg Institute of Health)

NEW Postdoctoral Positions – Immunity (UT Southwestern Medical Center)

Research Technologist – Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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

PhD Student Position – Immunology (Universitätsmedizin Göttingen)

Investigator Positions – Cancer Immunology (University of Alabama Birmingham)

Postdoctoral Position – Cytokine-Producing B Cells (Inserm)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunology (Yonsei Cancer Center)

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

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

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

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