Human Immunology News Volume 7.08 | Mar 5 2019

TOP STORY

Human Memory B Cells Harbor Diverse Cross-Neutralizing Antibodies against BK and JC Polyomaviruses

Scientists developed a high-throughput, functional antibody screen to examine the humoral response to BK polyomavirus. This approach enabled the isolation of antibodies from all peripheral B cell subsets and revealed the anti-BK virus antibody repertoire as clonally complex with respect to immunoglobulin sequences and isotypes, including a high frequency of monoclonal antibodies that broadly neutralize BK virus subtypes and the related JC polyomavirus. [Immunity] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Immunologic Mechanisms of Short-Course of Lolium perenne Peptide Immunotherapy: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial

The authors investigated immunologic mechanisms of L. perenne peptide (LPP) immunotherapy in a subset of patients who participated in a Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants were randomized to receive LPP or placebo for three weeks over four visits. Grass pollen-induced basophil, T and B cell responses were evaluated before, end of treatment and after the pollen season. [J Allergy Clin Immunol] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

Tissue-Resident Eomes⁺ NK Cells Are the Major Innate Lymphoid Cell Population in Human Infant Intestine

Researchers showed that CD103⁺ natural killer (NK) cells are the major innate lymphoid cell population in the small intestines of infants. When compared to adult intestinal NK cells, infant intestinal NK cells exhibited a robust effector phenotype, characterized by Eomes, perforin and granzyme B expression, and superior degranulation capacity. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Fcμ Receptor as a Costimulatory Molecule for T Cells

The authors showed that Fc receptor for IgM was mostly stored inside the cell and that surface expression was tightly regulated. Decreased surface expression on T cells from elderly individuals was associated with alterations in the methylation pattern of the FCMR gene. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Modulates NKG2D Receptor Expression and Memory Phenotype of Human Gamma/Delta T Cells upon Interaction with Tumor Cells

Researchers showed that treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid significantly enhanced the expression and release of the NKG2D ligands MICA, MICB and ULBP-2, but not ULBP-1 in the pancreatic carcinoma cell line Panc89 and the prostate carcinoma cell line PC-3. [Front Immunol] Abstract

Intracellular Delivery of mRNA to Human Primary T Cells with Microfluidic Vortex Shedding

Investigators developed and used microfluidic chips containing post arrays to induce microfluidic vortex shedding, or μVS, for cell membrane poration that permits delivery of mRNA into primary human T lymphocytes. [Sci Rep] Full Article

The Impact of Varying Cooling and Thawing Rates on the Quality of Cryopreserved Human Peripheral Blood T Cells

Scientists examined the interaction between the rate of cooling and rate of warming on the viability, and function of T cells formulated in a conventional DMSO based cryoprotectant and processed in conventional cryovials. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Inactivation in CAR T-Cells Prevents Monocyte-Dependent Release of Key Cytokine Release Syndrome Mediators

Through a combination of in vitro experiments and gene-editing technology, investigators demonstrated that antibody-mediated neutralization or TALEN-mediated genetic inactivation of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GMCSF) in CAR T-cells drastically decreased available GMCSF and abolished macrophage-dependent secretion of cytokine release syndrome biomarkers, including monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, interleukin 6 (IL-6), and IL-8. [J Biol Chem] Abstract | Press Release | Full Article

Modulation of Peripheral Blood Immune Cells by Early Use of Steroids and Its Association with Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

The authors assessed the association between early use of steroids, clinical outcomes and peripheral immune blood cells modulation in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. [ESMO Open] Full Article

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Mechanisms of Resistance to CAR T Cell Therapy

Researchers discuss the factors that can preclude durable remissions following CAR T cell therapy, with a primary focus on the resistance mechanisms that underlie disease relapse. They also provide an overview of potential strategies to overcome these obstacles in an effort to more effectively incorporate this unique therapeutic strategy into standard treatment paradigms. [Nat Rev Clin Oncol] Abstract

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Atara Biotherapeutics Announces Presentations Highlighting Next-Generation CAR T Platform and Mesothelin-Targeted CAR T Clinical Results

Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. announced presentations highlighting next-generation CAR T platform and mesothelin-targeted CAR T clinical safety and efficacy results from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. [Press release from Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. discussing research to be presented at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2019, Atlanta] Press Release

Sensei Biotherapeutics to Present First Preclinical Data on SNS-723 and Long-Term Clinical Results on SNS-301 Data

Sensei Biotherapeutics, Inc. announced that it will present novel preclinical data on SNS-723, a first-in-class CAR-T cell therapy and additional Phase I data on the long-term effects of SNS-301, a first-in-class cancer immunotherapy, both targeting a novel tumor specific embryonic antigen, human aspartate β-hydroxylase. [Press release from Sensei Biotherapeutics, Inc. discussing research to be presented at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2019, Atlanta] Press Release

Jounce Therapeutics to Present Data from Its JTX-2011 and JTX-8064 Programs

Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. announced that data from its Phase I/II ICONIC trial, an open label trial evaluating JTX-2011 monotherapy and in combination with nivolumab, will be the subject of two poster presentations. [Press release from Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. discussing research to be presented at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2019, Atlanta] Press Release

MaxCyte Announces Multi-Drug Clinical & Commercial Agreement with Kite, a Gilead Company

MaxCyte announced that it has expanded its relationship with Kite, a Gilead Company, by entering into a multi-drug clinical and commercial agreement. [MaxCyte, Inc.] Press Release

NantKwest Signs Worldwide License Agreement with ProMab Biotechnologies to Exclusively Develop Select Next Generation Targeted Natural Killer Cell Therapeutics

NantKwest, Inc. and ProMab Biotechnologies announced the establishment of a worldwide license to a B-Cell Maturation Antigen targeted antibody sequence for multiple myeloma along with an option for up to five undisclosed targeting sequences for exclusive use in the development of chimeric antigen receptor based natural killer cell therapies. [NantKwest, Inc.] Press Release

Avalon GloboCare Announces Filing of Provisional Patent Applications for AVA-101, a Novel Transposon-Based, Multi-Targeted CAR-T Therapy

Avalon GloboCare Corp. announced that the company and Arbele Limited have jointly filed provisional patent applications covering method and composition of matter claims for AVA-101, a novel multi-targeted, transposon-based chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cellular immunotherapy. [Avalon GloboCare Corp.] Press Release

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

CARsgen Therapeutics announced that one of its leading drug candidates, CT053 fully human BCMA (B-Cell Maturation Antigen)-CAR-T cell for the treatment of patients suffering from relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, has received Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). [CARsgen Therapeutics (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

Cell Medica Awarded USD 8.7 Million CPRIT Grant to Accelerate CMD-502 Off-the-Shelf CAR-NKT Cell Therapy into Clinical Development

Cell Medica announced that it has been awarded an $8.7 million research grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). The grant will support preclinical and clinical development of the company’s off-the-shelf chimeric antigen receptor-natural killer T cell (CAR-NKT) therapies to treat hematological and solid tumors. [Cell Medica] Press Release

Trump Threatens to Cut Federal Research Funding over Free Speech

At the Conservative Political Action Conference, President Donald Trump promised to sign an executive order cutting off funds to colleges and universities that do not maintain free speech. The president said “it will be very costly” if institutions don’t comply, but he did not give many details about the possible executive order or who would decide if schools were adequately protecting free speech. [The Scientist] Editorial

China Creating National Medical Ethics Committee to Oversee High-Risk Clinical Trials

A powerful new national medical ethics committee, which will approve all clinical trials involving high-risk biomedical technologies, is at the center of a regulatory shakeup Chinese authorities are planning in the aftermath of the widely condemned “CRISPR babies” experiment, STAT has learned. [STAT News] Editorial

Peer-Review Experiments Tracked in Online Repository

A grass-roots group of biologists has started a website to keep track of the proliferation of experiments in academic peer review — including trials and platforms aimed at making the review process faster, cheaper, and more transparent and interactive. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Cell Symposia: Neuro-Immune Axis: Reciprocal Regulation in Development, Health, and Disease
September 22-24, 2019
Long Beach, California, United States

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NEW Research Fellow – Protective and Aberrant Immunity (Monash University)

NEW Computational Biologist – Aging (NIH National Institute on Aging)

NEW Chief Scientific Officer – Immunology, Infection and Tissue Injury/ Repair (Weill Cornell Medical College)

Research Technologist – Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Position – Tumor Immunology (University of Maryland)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Autoimmune Diseases (Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason)

Postdoctoral Positions – Human Immunology (University of California, San Francisco)

Staff Scientist – Immunology (Cellzome)

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

Postdoctoral Positions – Immunity (UT Southwestern Medical Center)

Investigator Positions – Cancer Immunology (University of Alabama Birmingham)

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

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