Immune Regulation News Volume 6.23 | Jun 27 2014

Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell Function Is Diminished in Aspirin-Triggered Allergic Airway Hyperresponsiveness in Mice
Investigators sought to characterize myeloid-derived suppressor cells accumulation and pathogenic functions in allergic airway inflammation mediated by COX-1 deficiency or aspirin treatment in mice. [J Allergy Clin Immunol] Abstract

In Vivo-Generated Antigen-Specific Regulatory T Cells Treat Autoimmunity without Compromising Antibacterial Immune Response
Researchers showed mechanistically that apoptotic cells triggered professional phagocytes to produce transforming growth factor-β, under which the autoantigenic peptides directed naïve CD4⁺ T cells to differentiate into Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells instead of into T effector cells in vivo. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract

PDK1 Regulates B Cell Differentiation and Homeostasis
Researchers used inducible and stage-specific gene targeting approaches to elucidate the role of phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1) in early and peripheral B cell differentiation. PDK1 ablation enhanced cell cycle entry and apoptosis of IL-7-dependent pro-B cells, blocking Ig synthesis and B cell maturation. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release

MeCP2 Enforces Foxp3 Expression to Promote Regulatory T Cells’ Resilience to Inflammation
Researchers demonstrate that methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2), an eminent epigenetic regulator known primarily as the etiological factor of Rett syndrome, is critical to sustain Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) expression in regulatory T cells during inflammation. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Intraperitoneal Oxidative Stress in Rabbits with Papillomavirus-Associated Head and Neck Cancer Induces Tumoricidal Immune Response that Is Adoptively Transferable
CD3⁺ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and expression levels of 84 immune response genes were measured by quantitative real time PCR. Adoptive cell transfer of peripheral blood leukocytes from donor rabbits with regressing tumors to recipient rabbits with newly implanted VX2 carcinoma resulted in acquired tumor resistance of the host and tumor regression. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract | Full Article

Unique Lamina Propria Stromal Cells Imprint the Functional Phenotype of Mucosal Dendritic Cells
Researchers identified a stromal cell (SC) population in the intestinal lamina propria, which is capable of inducing retinoic acid (RA) production in dendritic cells (DCs) in a RA- and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-dependent fashion. DCs promoted GM-CSF production by the SCs indicating a two-way cross-talk between both cell types. [Mucosal Immunol] Abstract

Commensal Gram-Positive Bacteria Initiates Colitis by Inducing Monocyte/Macrophage Mobilization
Using a mouse dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis model, investigators show that commensal Gram-positive bacteria trigger the mobilization of inflammatory monocytes and macrophages into the colon. [Mucosal Immunol] Abstract

Induction of Mixed Chimerism Using Combinatory Cell-Based Immune Modulation with Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Regulatory T Cells for Solid-Organ Transplant Tolerance
Compared with single cell therapy, combinatory cell-based immune modulation induced a higher engraftment rate and robust donor-specific tolerance to skin allografts across full major histocompatibility complex barriers. These regulatory effects were associated with inhibition of natural killer cell cytotoxic activity, CD4⁺IL-17⁺ cells, memory B cells, plasma cells, and immunoglobulin production levels along with increased frequencies of CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ cells, IL-10-producing mature B cells, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. [Stem Cell Dev] Abstract

Critical Assessment of Human Antibody Generation in Humanized Mouse Models
Immunodeficient mice reconstituted with human hematopoietic stem cells provide a small-animal model for the study of development and function of human hematopoietic cells in vivo. The authors review the current state of knowledge of development, function and antibody production of human B cells and discuss the obstacles for improvement of these models. [J Immunol Methods] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the immune regulation field.

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Phase III First-Line Melanoma Study of Nivolumab, an Investigational PD-1 Checkpoint Inhibitor, Demonstrates Superior Overall Survival Compared to Dacarbazine; Study Stopped Early
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced that a randomized blinded comparative Phase III study evaluating nivolumab versus dacarbazine in patients with previously untreated BRAF wild-type advanced melanoma was stopped early because an analysis conducted by the independent Data Monitoring Committee showed evidence of superior overall survival in patients receiving nivolumab compared to the control arm. [Bristol-Myers Squibb Company] Press Release

Pfizer and Cellectis Enter into Global Strategic Cancer Immunotherapy Collaboration
Pfizer Inc. and Cellectis announced that they have entered into a global strategic collaboration to develop Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) immunotherapies in the field of oncology directed at select targets. [Pfizer Inc.] Press Release

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

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NEW Postdoctoral Positions – Inflammation in the Development of Chronic and Highly Prevalent Diseases (University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Immune Focused In Vitro Analytics (Celentyx Ltd.)

Postdoctoral Position – Signaling and Gene Expression in Immune Cells (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)

Postdoctoral Position – Cell Death and Inflammation (Inflammation Research Center – VIB-UGent)

Principal Investigator – Molecular Mechanisms of Inflammation (Inflammation Research Center – VIB-UGent)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Microbiology and Immunology (McGill University)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Functional Cross-Talk between T Lymphocytes and NK Cells (Meharry Medical College School of Medicine)

PhD Research Position – Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Immune Tolerance and Autoimmunity (Weizmann Institute of Science)

Scientist – Recombinant Molecules and Antibodies (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Media Development, High Throughput Screening (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Cell Culture Support Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Immunology/Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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