Dithranol as novel co-adjuvant for non-invasive dermal vaccination.

Transcutaneous immunization (TCI) utilizing the TLR7 agonist imiquimod (IMQ-TCI) induces T cell-driven protective immunity upon application onto intact skin. In our present work, we combine the anti-psoriatic agent dithranol with IMQ-TCI to boost vaccination efficacy (Dithranol/IMQ-based transcutaneous vaccination (DIVA)). Using ovalbumin-derived peptides as model antigens in mice, DIVA induced superior cytolytic CD8 T cells and CD4 T cells with a T cytokine profile in the priming as well as in the memory phase.

Systemically Administered TLR7/8 Agonist and Antigen-Conjugated Nanogels Govern Immune Responses against Tumors.

The generation of specific humoral and cellular immune responses plays a pivotal role in the development of effective vaccines against tumors. Especially the presence of antigen-specific, cytotoxic T cells influences the outcome of therapeutic cancer vaccinations. Different strategies, ranging from delivering antigen-encoding mRNAs to peptides or full antigens, are accessible but often suffer from insufficient immunogenicity and require immune-boosting adjuvants as well as carrier platforms to ensure stability and adequate retention.

In Activated Murine Mast Cells, NFATc2 Is Critical for the Production of Autocrine IL-3, Thereby Promoting the Expression of IL-9.

IL-9 has lent its numerical designation to the Th9 subset of CD4 Th cells, although it is also produced by additional cell types, including mast cells. It is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in allergic reactions, parasitic infections, autoimmune inflammation, and cancer immunity. In this article, we provide evidence that NFATc2 has contradictory functions in the expression of IL-9 in murine Th9 cells and bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC).

Tumor immunoevasion via acidosis-dependent induction of regulatory tumor-associated macrophages.

Many tumors evolve sophisticated strategies to evade the immune system, and these represent major obstacles for efficient antitumor immune responses. Here we explored a molecular mechanism of metabolic communication deployed by highly glycolytic tumors for immunoevasion. In contrast to colon adenocarcinomas, melanomas showed comparatively high glycolytic activity, which resulted in high acidification of the tumor microenvironment.

Evaluation of FASP, SP3, and iST Protocols for Proteomic Sample Preparation in the Low Microgram Range.

Efficient and reproducible sample preparation is a prerequisite for any robust and sensitive quantitative bottom-up proteomics workflow. Here, we performed an independent comparison between single-pot solid-phase-enhanced sample preparation (SP3), filter-aided sample preparation (FASP), and a commercial kit based on the in-StageTip (iST) method. We assessed their performance for the processing of proteomic samples in the low μg range using varying amounts of HeLa cell lysate (1-20 μg of total protein).