Production, safety and efficacy of iPSC-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in acute steroid-resistant graft versus host disease: a phase I, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation study.

The therapeutic potential of donor-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) has been investigated in diverse diseases, including steroid-resistant acute graft versus host disease (SR-aGvHD). However, conventional manufacturing approaches are hampered by challenges with scalability and interdonor variability, and clinical trials have shown inconsistent outcomes. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have the potential to overcome these challenges, due to their capacity for multilineage differentiation and indefinite proliferation.

Analysis of ex vivo expanded and activated clinical-grade human NK cells after cryopreservation.

Background Aims: Several methods to expand and activate (EA) NK cells ex vivo have been developed for the treatment of relapsed or refractory cancers. Infusion of fresh NK cells is generally preferred to the infusion of cryopreserved/thawed (C/T) NK cells because of concern that cryopreservation diminishes NK cell activity. However, there has been little head-to-head comparison of the functionality of fresh versus C/T NK cell products.

A reproducible immunopotency assay to measure mesenchymal stromal cell-mediated T-cell suppression.

Background Aims: The T-cell suppressive property of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) has been considered a major mode of action and basis for their utilization in a number of human clinical trials. However, there is no well-established reproducible assay to measure MSC-mediated T-cell suppression.

Methods: At the University of Wisconsin-Madison Production Assistance for Cellular Therapy (PACT) Center, we developed an in vitro quality control T-cell suppression immunopotency assay (IPA) that uses anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies to stimulate T-cell proliferation.

dCREB2-mediated enhancement of memory formation.

CREB-responsive transcription has an important role in adaptive responses in all cells and tissue. In the nervous system, it has an essential and well established role in long-term memory formation throughout a diverse set of organisms. Activation of this transcription factor correlates with long-term memory formation and disruption of its activity interferes with this process.