Human Immunology News Volume 3.07 | Feb 24 2015

Regulatory T Cells Produce Profibrotic Cytokines in the Skin of Patients with Systemic Sclerosis
Investigators determined whether regulatory T cells in the blood and skin of patients with systemic sclerosis acquired abnormal production of effector cytokines. [J Allergy Clin Immunol] Abstract

Initial Viral Load Determines the Magnitude of the Human CD8 T Cell Response to Yellow Fever Vaccination
The relationship between antigen load and the magnitude of the CD8 T-cell response is not well-described in a human immune response. Investigators address this issue by quantifying viral load and the CD8 T-cell response in a cohort of 80 individuals immunized with the live attenuated yellow fever vaccine by sampling peripheral blood at various time points. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes Genetically Engineered with an Inducible Gene Encoding Interleukin-12 for the Immunotherapy of Metastatic Melanoma
The authors evaluated the anti-tumor activity of adoptively transferred human tumor infiltrating lymphocytes genetically engineered to secrete single-chain interleukin-12 selectively at the tumor site. [Clin Cancer Res] Abstract

Dynamic Co-evolution of Host and Pathogen: HCMV Downregulates the Prevalent Allele MICA*008 to Escape Elimination by NK Cells
A particular highly prevalent MICA allele, MICA*008, is considered to be an human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-resistant “escape variant” that confers advantage to human natural killer (NK) cells in recognizing infected cells. However, researchers showed that HCMV uses its viral glycoprotein US9 to specifically target MICA*008 and thus escapes NKG2D attack. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

STAT5 Phosphorylation in T Cell Subsets from Septic Patients in Response to Recombinant Human Interleukin-7: A Pilot Study
Researchers assessed CD4⁺ lymphocyte responsiveness to rhIL-7 in septic shock patients ex vivo. The MFI of pSTAT5, a key signaling molecule for IL-7, was measured by flow cytometry in CD4⁺FOXP3⁻ and CD4⁺FOXP3⁺ lymphocytes after whole-blood incubation with increasing doses of rhIL-7. [J Leukoc Biol] Abstract

Guanine-Modified Inhibitory Oligonucleotides Efficiently Impair TLR7- and TLR9-Mediated Immune Responses of Human Immune Cells
Researchers evaluated the inhibitory/therapeutic potential of a set of G-modified inhibitory oligonucleotides (INH-ODNs) on human immune cells. They report that G-modified INH-ODNs efficiently inhibited the release of IFN-α by PBMC stimulated either with the TLR7-ligand oligoribonucleotide 22075 or the TLR9-ligand CpG-ODN 2216. [PLoS One] Full Article

Leishmania donovani Skews the CD56⁺ Natural Killer T Cell Response during Human Visceral Leishmaniasis
Scientists sought to understand the categorical function of CD4⁺CD56⁺ and CD8⁺CD56⁺ natural killer T cells in human visceral leishmaniasis. [Cytokine] Abstract

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Role of Ion Channels in Regulating Ca²⁺ Homeostasis during the Interplay between Immune and Cancer Cells
The authors discuss the implication of ion channels in regulation of Ca²⁺ homeostasis during the crosstalk between immune and cancer cell as well as their role in cancer progression. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

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Celsion Corporation Presents Clinical and Preclinical Data for GEN-1 IL-12 Immunotherapy in Ovarian Cancer
Celsion Corporation presented clinical and preclinical data demonstrating the safety, biological activity and clinical benefits of GEN-1, its DNA-based immunotherapy, as a single agent in advanced platinum-resistant and recurrent ovarian cancer patients. [Press release from Celsion Corporation discussing research presented at the Molecular Medicine TRI-Conference, San Francisco] Press Release | Presentation

Breastfeeding, Other Factors Help Shape Immune System Early in Life
Striking findings from a series of studies further advance the so-called hygiene hypothesis theory that early childhood exposure to microorganisms affects the immune system’s development and onset of allergies. [Press release from Henry Ford Health System discussing research presented at the 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting, Houston] Press Release

ADMA Biologics Announces Positive Data on Primary and Secondary Endpoints from Its Pivotal Phase III Clinical Trial for RI-002
ADMA Biologics, Inc. announced positive results on the primary and secondary endpoint evaluations from its pivotal Phase III trial for RI-002 in primary immune deficiency disease in a poster presentation. [Press release from ADMA Biologics, Inc. discussing research presented at the 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting, Houston] Press Release

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Agilvax Announces Strategic Collaboration with Humabs BioMed SA to Develop Targeted Vaccines and Immunotherapies
Agilvax, Inc. announced a collaboration with Switzerland based Humabs BioMed that will contribute to the rapid advancement of Agilvax’s ever expanding vaccine and immunotherapy pipeline. [Agilvax, Inc.] Press Release

T-Cell Therapy Clinical Trial Now Offered to Cancer Patients at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital
A clinical trial using T-cell therapy that uses the patients’ own immune cells to hunt down cancer cells is now being offered at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. [University of Michigan Health System] Press Release

Celldex’s Rindopepimut (Rintega^®) Receives FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the Treatment of Adult Patients with EGFRvIII-Positive Glioblastoma
Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Rintega^® Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the treatment of adult patients with EGFRvIII-positive glioblastoma. [Celldex Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

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

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.)

Faculty Position – Immunology (The Lowance Center for Human Immunology at Emory University)

Senior Process Development Engineer (Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.)

Director – Vector Production (Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.)

Research Associate – Innate/Adaptive Immune Components in the Microenvironment of Basal-Like Breast Cancers (King’s College London)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy (United Arab Emirates University)

Manufacturing Scientists – Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy (Autolus)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer-Related Inflammation (Institute of Human Genetics)

Research Scientist – Cancer Immunotherapy (iTeos Therapeutics)

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