Human Immunology News 7.33 August 27, 2019 | |
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TOP STORYSystematic Immunotherapy Target Discovery Using Genome-Scale In Vivo CRISPR Screens in CD8 T Cells Scientists demonstrated high-throughput in vivo genetic screens for immunotherapy target discovery and established DHX37 as a functional regulator of CD8 T cells. [Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)Investigators report that chronic lung injury inactivated the ubiquitin-editing enzyme A20, causing progressive accumulation of the transcription factor C/EBPβ in alveolar macrophages from pulmonary fibrosis (PF) patients and mice, which upregulated a number of immunosuppressive and profibrotic factors promoting PF development. [Immunity] Abstract | Graphical Abstract Unique Transcriptional and Protein-Expression Signature in Human Lung Tissue-Resident NK Cells Scientists showed, using RNA sequencing and flow cytometry-based analyses, that subsets of human lung CD69+CD16− NK cells displayed hallmarks of tissue-residency, including high expression of CD49a, CD103, and ZNF683, and reduced expression of SELL, S1PR5, and KLF2/3. [Nat Commun] Full Article Patient-derived xenograft T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cells that relapsed following a course of chemotherapy displayed elevated IL-7Rα, and MAb treatment was effective against relapsing disease, suggesting the use of anti-IL7Rα MAbs in relapsed T-ALL patients. [Leukemia] Abstract Reporters of TCR Signaling Identify Arthritogenic T Cells in Murine and Human Autoimmune Arthritis Researchers found that higher levels of Nur77-eGFP in SKG CD4 T cells marked their autoreactivity, arthritogenic potential, and ability to more readily differentiate into interleukin-17-producing cells. T cells with increased autoreactivity, nonetheless had diminished ex vivo inducible T cell antigen receptor (TCR) signaling, perhaps reflective of adaptive inhibitory mechanisms induced by chronic autoantigen exposure in vivo. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Full Article Scientists identified a novel pathway of T. gondii induction of IL-1β via a Syk-CARD9-NF-κB signaling axis in primary human peripheral blood monocytes. Syk was rapidly phosphorylated during T. gondii infection of primary monocytes, and inhibiting Syk with the pharmacological inhibitors R406 or entospletinib, or genetic ablation of Syk in THP-1 cells, reduced IL-1β release. [PLoS Pathog] Full Article Researchers found that inosine pranobex (IP) caused an increase in intracellular concentration of purine nucleotides and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates and NKG2D ligand induction. The degree of NKG2D ligand induction was functionally significant, leading to increased NKG2D-dependent target cell immunogenicity. [Eur J Immunol] Abstract Investigators isolated and characterized a panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with high binding affinity to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prefusion F trimer and neutralization potency to RSV viruses. The mAbs were mapped to previously defined antigenic sites, and some that mapped to the same antigenic sites showed remarkable diversity in specificity, binding, and neutralization potencies. [mAbs] Abstract Exhaustion of CD4+ T Cells Mediated by the Kynurenine Pathway in Melanoma Scientists characterized the production of kynurenine (KYN), 3-hydroxy kynurenine, and kynurenic acid (KYNA) in vitro using melanoma-derived cell lines and primary CD4+ CD25− T cells. Activation of the CD4+ T cells produced IFNγ, which yielded increased levels of KYN and KYNA. [Sci Rep] Full Article Allostimulatory Activity as a Criterion of the Functional Phenotype of Human Macrophages Researchers compared the allostimulatory activity of macrophages (Mφ) differentiated with GM-CSF or M-CSF and polarized into M1, M2a, M2c subtypes using appropriate stimuli. GM-CSF-differentiated M1 Mφ showed pronounced allostimulatory activity whereas the polarization into M2a and M2c of GM-CSF-differentiated Mφ was associated with decreased allostimulatory activity. [Hum Immunol] Abstract Subscribe to our sister publications: Immunology of Infectious Disease News & Immune Regulation News. | |
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REVIEWSUnderstanding Regulatory B Cells in Autoimmune Diseases: The Case of Multiple Sclerosis The suppressive function of B cells is mediated mostly through their provision of cytokines with anti-inflammatory properties, in particular interleukin-10. This B cell activity has been convincingly described in mice with autoimmune, infectious, as well as malignant diseases, and evidence is accumulating of its relevance in humans. [Curr Opin Immunol] Abstract Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the human immunology research field. | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSNGen Funding to Transform Manufacturing of Critical Materials in Gene Therapies NGen has approved Supercluster funding for a transformative $4.2 million project led by iVexSol Canada to develop an advanced manufacturing process for lentiviral vectors. [NGen (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)] Press Release Amgen announced that it has entered into an agreement with Celgene Corporation in connection with its previously announced merger with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company to acquire worldwide rights to Otezla®, the only oral, non-biologic treatment for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and certain related assets and liabilities. [Amgen] Press Release Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc and Noile-Immune Biotech, Inc. announced that they will co-develop next-generation SPEAR T cell products, incorporating Noile-Immune’s PRIME (proliferation inducing and migration enhancing) technology, based upon co-expression of IL-7 and CCL19. [Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc] Press Release Worldwide Clinical Trials Works with Orphazyme to Complete Recruitment of Phase III Trial in ALS Orphazyme A/S announced the completion of enrollment to its Phase III trial of arimoclomol in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). [Orphazyme A/S (Business Wire, Inc.)] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSMemo to Italy’s President: Your Researchers Need You Italy’s coalition government ended abruptly, when the nationalist Lega party of deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini announced that it was walking away from its turbulent coalition with the anti-establishment M5S party, known as the Five Star Movement. The collapse is of great concern: a much-delayed funding increase is now on hold, and the political uncertainty adds further threat. [Nature News] Editorial NSF Graduate Fellowships Disproportionately Go to Students at a Few Top Schools As this year’s eligible students begin to labor over their applications, it’s worth asking why certain schools come away with dozens of winners each year—and what that means about the academy at large. [ScienceInsider] Editorial DEA Again Promises to Improve Access to Marijuana for Research Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced plans to create new regulations to expand scientific and medical research on marijuana in the US. Scientists hope the proposal will allow additional growers to enter the supply chain and hopefully bump up the quality of the material. [The Scientist] Editorial
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW Research Technologist (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.) NEW Postdoctoral Research Associate – Autoimmune Diseases (Benaroya Research Institute) Scientific Communications Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.) Research Associate – Human Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.) Scientist – Human Immunology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.) Research Associate – Immune Cell Culture (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.) Senior Scientific Researcher – Inflammatory Diseases (Genentech, Inc.) Postdoctoral Position – Immunogenic Cell Death (University Hospital of Cologne) Research Assistant – Immunology (MD Anderson Cancer Center) Postdoctoral Position – Immunology (BioMed X Innovation Center) Preclinical Scientist – Immunology (MiroBio) Postdoctoral Position – Immunology of Enteric Infections (University of Utah) Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.
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