HIV vaccine candidate activation of hypoxia and the inflammasome in CD14 monocytes is associated with a decreased risk of SIV acquisition.

Qualitative differences in the innate and adaptive responses elicited by different HIV vaccine candidates have not been thoroughly investigated. We tested the ability of the Aventis Pasteur live recombinant canarypox vector (ALVAC)-SIV, DNA-SIV and Ad26-SIV vaccine prime modalities together with two ALVAC-SIV + gp120 protein boosts to reduce the risk of SIV acquisition in rhesus macaques. We found that the DNA and ALVAC prime regimens were effective, but the Ad26 prime was not.

Flow Cytometry: An Overview.

Flow cytometry is a technology that provides rapid multi-parametric analysis of single cells in solution. Flow cytometers utilize lasers as light sources to produce both scattered and fluorescent light signals that are read by detectors such as photodiodes or photomultiplier tubes. These light signals are converted into electronic signals that are analyzed by a computer and written to a standardized format (.

Associations of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV)-Specific Follicular CD8 T Cells with Other Follicular T Cells Suggest Complex Contributions to SIV Viremia Control.

Follicular CD8 T (fCD8) cells reside within B cell follicles and are thought to be immune-privileged sites of HIV/SIV infection. We have observed comparable levels of fCD8 cells between chronically SIV-infected rhesus macaques with low viral loads (LVL) and high viral loads (HVL), raising the question concerning their contribution to viremia control. In this study, we sought to clarify the role of SIV-specific fCD8 cells in lymph nodes during the course of SIV infection in rhesus macaques.

Multiparameter Conventional Flow Cytometry.

Multicolor flow cytometry is a useful technique when examining mixed populations of cells, such as blood and tissue cells in human and animal samples. The ability to use multiple fluorescent markers simultaneously allows for the identification of multiple cell types, as well as functional markers that further characterize each sample. The introduction of instruments capable of measuring 12-plus colors and new reagents has made this type of flow cytometry both popular and problematic.

Cell autonomous or systemic EGFR blockade alters the immune-environment in squamous cell carcinomas.

Targeting mutations and amplifications in the EGFR has been successful precision therapy for cancers of the lung, oral cavity and gastrointestinal track. However, a systemic immune reaction manifested by dose-limiting inflammation in the skin and gut has been a consistent adverse effect. To address the possibility that intra-tumoral immune changes contribute to the anti-cancer activity of EGFR inhibition, squamous cancers were produced by syngeneic orthografts of either EGFR null or wildtype mouse primary keratinocytes transduced with an oncogenic H-ras retrovirus.

Loss of marginal zone B-cells in SHIVSF162P4 challenged rhesus macaques despite control of viremia to low or undetectable levels in chronic infection.

Marginal zone (MZ) B cells generate T-independent antibody responses to pathogens before T-dependent antibodies arise in germinal centers. They have been identified in cynomolgus monkeys and monitored during acute SIV infection, yet have not been well-studied in rhesus macaques. Here we characterized rhesus macaque MZ B cells, present in secondary lymphoid tissue but not peripheral blood, as CD19(+), CD20(+), CD21(hi), IgM(+), CD22(+), CD38(+), BTLA(+), CD40(+), CCR6(+) and BCL-2(+).

Inhibition of geranylgeranyl transferase-I decreases cell viability of HTLV-1-transformed cells.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), an aggressive and highly chemoresistant malignancy. Rho family GTPases regulate multiple signaling pathways in tumorigenesis: cytoskeletal organization, transcription, cell cycle progression, and cell proliferation. Geranylgeranylation of Rho family GTPases is essential for cell membrane localization and activation of these proteins.