Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy effectively treats human cancer, but the loss of the antigen recognized by the CAR poses a major obstacle. We found that in vivo vaccine boosting of CAR T cells triggers the engagement of the endogenous immune system to circumvent antigen-negative tumor escape. Vaccine-boosted CAR T promoted dendritic cell (DC) recruitment to tumors, increased tumor antigen uptake by DCs, and elicited the priming of endogenous anti-tumor T cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the transplant community, research efforts exploring endogenous alternatives to inducing tolerogenic allo-specific immune responses are much needed. In this regard, CD4 FoxP3 regulatory T cells (T) are appealing candidates due to their intrinsic natural immunosuppressive qualities. To date, various homeostatic factors that dictate T survival and fitness have been elucidated, particularly the non-redundant roles of antigenic CD3/T-cell-receptor, co-stimulatory CD28, and cytokine interleukin (IL-)2 dependent signaling.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRegulatory T cells (T) have shown great promise as a means of cellular therapy in a multitude of allo- and auto-immune diseases-due in part to their immunosuppressive potency. Nevertheless, the clinical efficacy of human T in patients has been limited by their poor homeostasis. To avert apoptosis, T require stable antigenic (CD3ζ/T-cell-receptor-mediated), co-stimulatory (CD28-driven), and cytokine (IL-2-dependent) signaling.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is behaviorally defined and diagnosed by delayed and/or impeded language, stereotyped repetitive behaviors, and difficulties with social interactions. Additionally, there are disruptions in motor processing, which includes the intent to execute movements, interrupted/inhibited action chain sequences, impaired execution of speech, and repetitive motor behaviors. Cortical loops through basal ganglia (BG) structures are known to play critical roles in the typical functioning of these actions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdoptive cell transfer of ex vivo expanded regulatory T cells (T) has shown immense potential in animal models of auto- and alloimmunity. However, the effective translation of such T therapies to the clinic has been slow. Because T homeostasis is known to require continuous T cell receptor (TCR) ligation and exogenous interleukin-2 (IL-2), some investigators have explored the use of low-dose IL-2 injections to increase endogenous T responses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInduction of longstanding immunologic tolerance is essential for survival of transplanted organs and tissues. Despite recent advances in immunosuppression protocols, allograft damage inflicted by antibody specific for donor organs continues to represent a major obstacle to graft survival. Here we report that activation of regulatory CD8 T cells (CD8 Treg) that recognize the Qa-1 class Ib major histocompatibility complex (MHC), a mouse homolog of human leukocyte antigen-E (HLA-E), inhibits antibody-mediated immune rejection of heart allografts.
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