Immune Regulation News Volume 8.02 | Jan 22 2016

Neuro-Immune Interactions Drive Tissue Programming in Intestinal Macrophages
Scientists discovered that macrophages exhibit a high degree of gene-expression specialization dependent on their proximity to the gut lumen. Lamina propria macrophages preferentially expressed a pro-inflammatory phenotype when compared to muscularis macrophages, which displayed a tissue-protective phenotype. [Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

Inducible Chromatin Priming Is Associated with the Establishment of Immunological Memory in T Cells
Researchers demonstrated that the first steps in the acquisition of T-cell memory occurred during the initial activation phase of naïve T cells by an antigenic stimulus. This event initiated extensive chromatin remodeling that reprogrammed immune response genes toward a stably maintained primed state, prior to terminal differentiation. [EMBO J] Full Article | Press Release

Utilization of a Photoactivatable Antigen System to Examine B-Cell Probing Termination and the B-Cell Receptor Sorting Mechanisms during B-Cell Activation
A photoactivatable antigen system in combination with live cell and single molecule imaging techniques enabled scientists to illuminate the previously unidentified B-cell probing termination behaviors and the precise B-cell receptor sorting mechanisms during B-cell activation. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Unstable FoxP3⁺ T Regulatory Cells in NZW Mice
In mice and humans, there is a wide interindividual range in regulatory T (Treg) frequency, but little is known about the underlying genetic or epigenetic mechanisms. Researchers explored this issue in inbred strains of mice, with a special focus on the low proportion of Treg cells found in NZW mice. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

S1PR1-Mediated IFNAR1 Degradation Modulates Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Interferon-α Autoamplification
The authors report that sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)-S1PR1 signaling in plasmacytoid dendritic cells directly inhibits IFN-α autoamplification by induced degradation of the interferon alpha receptor 1 (IFNAR1) receptor and suppression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 signaling. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA]
Abstract | Press Release

The Gut Epithelial Receptor LRRC19 Promotes the Recruitment of Immune Cells and Gut Inflammation
Researchers demonstrated that the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) C19-associated chemokines CCL6, CCL9, CXCL9, and CXCL10 play a critical role in immune cell recruitment and intestinal inflammation. [Cell Rep]
Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Regulation of Asymmetric Division by Atypical Protein Kinase C Influences Early Specification of CD8⁺ T Lymphocyte Fates
Investigators showed that deletion of atypical protein kinase C isoforms resulted in a deficit in asymmetric divisions, increasing the proportion of daughter cells that inherit high amounts of effector fate-associated molecules, IL-2Rα, T-bet, IFNγR, and interferon regulatory factor 4. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Don’t forget to subscribe to Human Immunology News and Immunology of Infectious Disease News!

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

Vaccine Targets Alzheimer’s Disease-Like Characteristics in People with Down Syndrome
Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study, in collaboration with AC Immune, will test the safety and tolerability of an immunotherapy vaccine that targets Alzheimer’s disease-like characteristics in adults with Down syndrome. [University of California, San Diego] Press Release

Researchers Get $792,000 to Study Combination Radiation and Immunotherapy for Cancer
A Georgia State University researcher, in collaboration with the Winship Cancer Institute, has received a four-year, $792,000 Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society to fight cancers using a combination of therapies. [Georgia State University] Press Release

Cancer MoonShot 2020 Reaches First Clinical Trial Milestone: Immunotherapy Trial Demonstrates Encouraging Survival Rates in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Who Failed All Standard Therapy
Precision Biologics and the Cancer MoonShot 2020 Program ‎announced promising data from its Phase II clinical trial of the first neo-epitope1‎ targeting antibody, Ensituximab, studied in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer who failed all standards of care. [Precision Biologics, Inc.] Press Release

Immunocore Starts Clinical Trial with IMCgp100 in Combination with MedImmune Immunotherapies Durvalumab and Tremelimumab
Immunocore Limited announced that it has started a Phase Ib/II combination trial for the treatment of metastatic cutaneous melanoma. The trial will evaluate IMCgp100, Immunocore’s lead ImmTAC (Immune Mobilizing Monoclonal T-Cell Receptor Against Cancer), in combination with durvalumab and tremelimumab, the investigational immunotherapies of MedImmune. [Immunocore Limited] Press Release

Agenus Announces Clearance of Investigational New Drug Applications by the FDA for Anti-CTLA-4 and Anti-GITR Antibodies
Agenus Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the company’s investigational new drug application for AGEN1884, an immune checkpoint modulator antibody that binds to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4). [Agenus Inc.] Press Release

From our sponsor: Isolate human immune cells in as little as 8 minutes with EasySep™. Request a sample.

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)

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

NEW Research Associate – T Cell Therapy for Hematological Malignancies (University College London)

NEW Assistant or Associate Professor – Immunity and Tolerance (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center)

Senior Scientist – Immunology and Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Fellow – Immunology (Boston Children’s Hospital Harvard Medical School)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cell Therapy (Toronto Western Hospital)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunology (Indiana University)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Immunity (Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School)

Postdoctoral Position – Immunotherapy Targeting Cancer Stem Cells (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer Immunotherapy (Bayer HealthCare AG)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach more than 60,000 potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.