Tumor- and organ-dependent infiltration by myeloid-derived suppressor cells.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) increase during tumor growth and following cytoreductive therapy resulting in immune dysfunction and tumor escape from host control. We report organ- and tumor-specific expansion of MDSCs, differences in their molecular and membrane phenotypes and T-cell suppressive activity. A significant increase in MDSCs was observed within the spleen, peripheral blood (PB), bone marrow (BM), lungs, and livers of mice bearing orthotopic 4T1, but not CI66 mammary tumors.

Comparison of viral replication and IFN response in alpaca and bovine cells following bovine viral diarrhea virus infection.

Alpacas develop diminished disease following bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection compared to cattle. We hypothesized that alpaca and bovine cells have differential permissiveness and responses to BVDV infection. To characterize alpaca testicular (AT) and bovine turbinate (BT) cells BVDV infection permissiveness, viral replication and interferon (IFN) synthesis was evaluated.

Therapeutic activity of sunitinib for Her2/neu induced mammary cancer in FVB mice.

Mouse mammary tumor virus-Neu (MMTV/neu) transgenic mice on an FVB-background (FVB-neuN) have increased numbers of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and regulatory T-cells (T-regs) in the spleen during mammary tumor induction and progression. Using this transgenic tumor model, we assessed the therapeutic activity of sunitinib, a multi-targeted, tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitor and its effects on immune-regulatory cells. Our preliminary results show that sunitinib at 40mg/kg/day, p.