Publications by authors named "A Montalbano"

Natural killer T cells (NKTs) are a promising platform for cancer immunotherapy, but few genes involved in regulation of NKT therapeutic activity have been identified. To find regulators of NKT functional fitness, we developed a CRISPR/Cas9-based mutagenesis screen that employs a guide RNA (gRNA) library targeting 1,118 immune-related genes. Unmodified NKTs and NKTs expressing a GD2-specific chimeric antigen receptor (GD2.

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Polyglucosans are glycogen molecules with overlong chains, which are hyperphosphorylated in the neurodegenerative Lafora disease (LD). Brain polyglucosan bodies (PBs) cause fatal neurodegenerative diseases including Lafora disease and adult polyglucosan body disease (ABPD), for which treatments, biomarkers, and good understanding of their pathogenesis are currently missing. Mutations in the genes for the phosphatase laforin or the E3 ubiquitin ligase malin can cause LD.

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Introduction: Bony and ligamentous ankle injuries are some of the most commonly treated injuries by orthopedic surgeons. Open ligamentous ankle injuries without an associated fracture or dislocation are rare and to our knowledge have only sparsely been described in the literature. We present a case and successful treatment of an open lateral ankle injury with capsular rupture and ligamentous damage without fracture or dislocation in a 22-year-old female.

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The ability of immune cells to expand numerically after infusion distinguishes adoptive immunotherapies from traditional drugs, providing unique therapeutic advantages as well as the potential for unmanageable toxicities. Here, we describe a case of lethal hyperleukocytosis in a patient with neuroblastoma treated on phase 1 clinical trial (NCT03294954) with autologous natural killer T cells (NKTs) expressing a GD2-specific chimeric antigen receptor and cytokine interleukin 15 (GD2-CAR.15).

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Interleukin-15 (IL-15) promotes the survival of T lymphocytes and enhances the antitumour properties of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in preclinical models of solid neoplasms in which CAR T cells have limited efficacy. Glypican-3 (GPC3) is expressed in a group of solid cancers, and here we report the evaluation in humans of the effects of IL-15 co-expression on GPC3-expressing CAR T cells (hereafter GPC3 CAR T cells). Cohort 1 patients ( NCT02905188 and NCT02932956 ) received GPC3 CAR T cells, which were safe but produced no objective antitumour responses and reached peak expansion at 2 weeks.

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