Long-Term Survival and Immune Response Dynamics in Melanoma Patients Undergoing TAPCells-Based Vaccination Therapy.

Cancer vaccines present a promising avenue for treating immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs)-refractory patients, fostering immune responses to modulate the tumor microenvironment. We revisit a phase I/II trial using Tumor Antigen-Presenting Cells (TAPCells) (NCT06152367), an autologous antigen-presenting cell vaccine loaded with heat-shocked allogeneic melanoma cell lysates. Initial findings showcased TAPCells inducing lysate-specific delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions, correlating with prolonged survival.

IL-7/IL7R axis dysfunction in adults with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP): a cross-sectional study.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a worldwide leading cause of death. Recognized risk factors in some severe cases have not been identified. Lymphocytopenia has been frequently described in CAP.

Serological study of CoronaVac vaccine and booster doses in Chile: immunogenicity and persistence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies.

Background: Chile was severely affected by COVID19 outbreaks but was also one of the first countries to start a nationwide program to vaccinate against the disease. Furthermore, Chile became one of the fastest countries to inoculate a high percentage of the target population and implemented homologous and heterologous booster schemes in late 2021 to prevent potential immunological waning. The aim of this study is to compare the immunogenicity and time course of the humoral response elicited by the CoronaVac vaccine in combination with homologous versus heterologous boosters.

Dysregulated Immune Responses in COVID-19 Patients Correlating With Disease Severity and Invasive Oxygen Requirements.

The prognosis of severe COVID-19 patients has motivated research communities to uncover mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis also on a regional level. In this work, we aimed to understand the immunological dynamics of severe COVID-19 patients with different degrees of illness, and upon long-term recovery. We analyzed immune cellular subsets and SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody isotypes of 66 COVID-19 patients admitted to the Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, which were categorized according to the WHO ten-point clinical progression score.

In vitro Phenotype Induction of Circulating Monocytes: CD16 and CD163 Analysis.

Introduction: CD14 (monocyte differentiation antigen, LPS binding protein - endotoxin receptor) and CD16 (FcγRIII, Low-affinity receptor for IgG) define three subpopulations of circulating monocytes with different inflammatory and phagocytic capabilities. Contradictory reports exist regarding both in vivo monocyte phenotype-disease association and response of these circulating monocytes to in vitro stimulation. We analyzed phenotypic changes in circulating monocytes when stimulated with LPS (pro-inflammatory stimulus) and IL-4 (alternative inflammatory stimulus).

Immunoglobulins concentration and B cell counts as severity markers in adult community-acquired pneumonia: Cross sectional study.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a worldwide cause of morbidity and mortality. Immunoglobulins (Igs) and B cells quantification studies in CAP are few and show discrepancies. Serum IgA acts as a powerful natural anti-inflammatory factor, but its role in the CAP has not yet been defined.

A heat-shocked melanoma cell lysate vaccine enhances tumor infiltration by prototypic effector T cells inhibiting tumor growth.

Background: Immune checkpoint blocker (ICB) therapy has shown survival benefits for some patients with cancer. Nevertheless, many individuals remain refractory or acquire resistance to treatment, motivating the exploration of complementary immunotherapies. Accordingly, cancer vaccines offer an attractive alternative.

Dendritic Cells Loaded with Heat Shock-Conditioned Ovarian Epithelial Carcinoma Cell Lysates Elicit T Cell-Dependent Antitumor Immune Responses .

Ovarian epithelial carcinoma (OEC) is the most frequent ovarian tumor, characterized by a high mortality in advanced stages where conventional therapies are not effective. Based on the role of the immune system in the progression of this disease, immunotherapy using checkpoint blockade has been considered as a therapeutic alternative. Nevertheless, its results do not match up to the positive results in entities like melanoma and other malignancies, suggesting the need to find other therapies to be used alone or in combination.

Inverse Relationship Between Alzheimer's Disease and Cancer: How Immune Checkpoints Might Explain the Mechanisms Underlying Age-Related Diseases.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in the adult population. There is evidence of an inverse epidemiological relationship between AD and cancer, another prevalent age-related disease. This has led to hypothesize that there could be a common biological mechanism, deregulated in opposite directions that might explain the phenomenon of mutual protection.

Coagulation Factor Xa Promotes Solid Tumor Growth, Experimental Metastasis and Endothelial Cell Activation.

Hypercoagulable state is linked to cancer progression; however, the precise role of the coagulation cascade is poorly described. Herein, we examined the contribution of a hypercoagulative state through the administration of intravenous Coagulation Factor Xa (FXa), on the growth of solid human tumors and the experimental metastasis of the B16F10 melanoma in mouse models. FXa increased solid tumor volume and lung, liver, kidney and lymph node metastasis of tail-vein injected B16F10 cells.

Dexamethasone turns tumor antigen-presenting cells into tolerogenic dendritic cells with T cell inhibitory functions.

Background: Dendritic cells (DCs) are usually immunogenic, but they are also capable of inducing tolerance under anti-inflammatory conditions. Immunotherapy based on autologous DCs loaded with an allogeneic melanoma cell lysate (TRIMEL/DCs) induces immunological responses and increases melanoma patient survival. Glucocorticoids can suppress DC maturation and function, leading to a DC-mediated inhibition of T cell responses.

The cancer-related transcription factor RUNX2 modulates expression and secretion of the matricellular protein osteopontin in osteosarcoma cells to promote adhesion to endothelial pulmonary cells and lung metastasis.

Osteosarcomas are bone tumors that frequently metastasize to the lung. Aberrant expression of the transcription factor, runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), is a key pathological feature in osteosarcoma and associated with loss of p53 and miR-34 expression. Elevated RUNX2 may transcriptionally activate genes mediating tumor progression and metastasis, including the RUNX2 target gene osteopontin (OPN/SPP1).

Pure platelet-rich plasma and supernatant of calcium-activated P-PRP induce different phenotypes of human macrophages.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of two platelet preparations used in the clinic, pure platelet-rich plasma (P-PRP) and the supernatant of calcium-activated P-PRP (S-PRP), on the phenotype of human macrophages.

Materials & Methods: Surface markers and cytokine production of human monocyte-derived macrophages were analyzed after 24 h stimulation with P-PRP or S-PRP.

Results: P-PRP and S-PRP present no difference in the expression of CD206, a M2 tissue-repair macrophage-related marker.

Melanocytes and melanin represent a first line of innate immunity against Candida albicans.

Melanocytes are dendritic cells located in the skin and mucosae that synthesize melanin. Some infections induce hypo- or hyperpigmentation, which is associated with the activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), especially TLR4. Candida albicans is an opportunist pathogen that can switch between blastoconidia and hyphae forms; the latter is associated with invasion.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae induces a tolerogenic phenotype in macrophages to modulate host immunity.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the etiological agent of gonorrhoea, which is a sexually transmitted disease widespread throughout the world. N. gonorrhoeae does not improve immune response in patients with reinfection, suggesting that gonococcus displays several mechanisms to evade immune response and survive in the host.

The immunological response and post-treatment survival of DC-vaccinated melanoma patients are associated with increased Th1/Th17 and reduced Th3 cytokine responses.

Introduction: Immunization with autologous dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with a heat shock-conditioned allogeneic melanoma cell lysate caused lysate-specific delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions in a number of patients. These responses correlated with a threefold prolonged long-term survival of DTH(+) with respect to DTH(-) unresponsive patients. Herein, we investigated whether the immunological reactions associated with prolonged survival were related to dissimilar cellular and cytokine responses in blood.