Increased production of interleukin-17 over interleukin-10 by treg cells implicates inducible costimulator molecule in experimental spondyloarthritis.

Objective: HLA-B27/human β2 -microglobulin (hβ2 m)-transgenic (B27-transgenic) rats develop an inflammatory disorder resembling spondyloarthritis, with accumulation of proinflammatory Th17 cells. Because Treg cells and Th17 cells have opposing effects in inflammatory disorders, we sought to determine whether biased expansion of Th17 cells could result from altered Treg cell frequency and/or function in B27-transgenic rats.

Methods: We characterized the phenotype and function of Treg cells from B27-transgenic rats in comparison with those from control rats, by examining their expression of cell surface markers, suppressive activity, cytokine production, and differentiation pattern.

Early T cell signalling is reversibly altered in PD-1+ T lymphocytes infiltrating human tumors.

To improve cancer immunotherapy, a better understanding of the weak efficiency of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TIL) is necessary. We have analyzed the functional state of human TIL immediately after resection of three types of tumors (NSCLC, melanoma and RCC). Several signalling pathways (calcium, phosphorylation of ERK and Akt) and cytokine secretion are affected to different extents in TIL, and show a partial spontaneous recovery within a few hours in culture.

Anti-tumor properties of human-activated macrophages produced in large scale for clinical application.

When properly activated, macrophages can be tumoricidal. To harness the therapeutic potential of these cells, we have developed a process for ex vivo production of large numbers of IFN-gamma-activated monocyte-derived macrophages. These monocyte-derived activated killer (MAK) cells have been safely administered to cancer patients with minimal residual disease in phase I/II clinical studies.