IFN-γ and tumor gangliosides: Implications for the tumor microenvironment.

Gangliosides shed by tumors into their microenvironment (TME) are immunoinhibitory. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) may boost antitumor immune responses. Thus we wondered whether IFN-γ would counteract tumor ganglioside-mediated immune suppression.

CTLA4-Ig preserves thymus-derived T regulatory cells.

Background: CTLA-4 immunoglobulin fusion proteins (CTLA4-Ig) suppress immune reactions by blocking the T-cell costimulatory CD28-CD80-86 pathway and are used in clinical trials for diseases featuring exaggerated T-cell reactivity including autoimmune diseases and allograft rejection. However, because CTLA4-Ig has been suspected to interfere with T regulatory (Treg) cell homeostasis and function, recently, substantial concerns on CTLA4-Ig's potentially antitolerogenic effects have been raised.

Methods: We tested immunoregulatory CTLA4-Ig explicitly for its effect on Treg cell numbers, frequencies and function in an in vitro murine major histocompatibility complex mismatched setting using C57BL/6 bone marrow-derived dendritic cells as stimulators of allogeneic Balb/c Foxp3 T cells, which allowed for tracing Treg cells in a straightforward fashion.

CTLA4-Ig immunosuppressive activity at the level of dendritic cell/T cell crosstalk.

Immunosuppressive cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 immunoglobulin fusion proteins (CTLA4-Ig) block the CD28:CD80/86 costimulatory pathway. On a cellular level, CTLA4-Ig is understood to dampen T cell responses. As a mechanism, CTLA4-Ig has been reported to affect dendritic cell (DC) function via inducing the immunosuppressive indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO) pathway and promoting a DC regulatory phenotype.

B-cell deficiency and severe autoimmunity caused by deficiency of protein kinase C δ.

Primary B-cell disorders comprise a heterogeneous group of inherited immunodeficiencies, often associated with autoimmunity causing significant morbidity. The underlying genetic etiology remains elusive in the majority of patients. In this study, we investigated a patient from a consanguineous family suffering from recurrent infections and severe lupuslike autoimmunity.