Development of a qPCR assay for the quantification of canine autosomal DNA recovered from livestock attacks.

The absence of a standardised method to quantify canine DNA recovered from livestock attacks leaves forensic providers without an important quality control step to help support their decision making. Typically used to normalise the amount of DNA for STR amplification, modern forensic DNA quantification approaches use qPCR of target genes and can also include an Internal Positive Controls (IPC) to determine the presence of PCR inhibitors. The co-amplification of livestock DNA alongside canine DNA has meant that previously developed qPCR methods are not suitable for use so a standardised approach is needed.

CCL18 aggravates atherosclerosis by inducing CCR6-dependent T-cell influx and polarization.

Introduction: The CC chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18) is a chemokine highly expressed in chronic inflammation in humans. Recent observations of elevated CCL18 plasma levels in patients with acute cardiovascular syndromes prompted an investigation into the role of CCL18 in the pathogenesis of human and mouse atherosclerosis.

Methods And Results: CCL18 was profoundly upregulated in ruptured human atherosclerotic plaque, particularly within macrophages.

Engineered CAR-T cells targeting the non-functional P2X purinoceptor 7 (P2X7) receptor as a novel treatment for ovarian cancer.

Objectives: Recent studies have identified expression of the non-functional P2X7 (nfP2X7) receptor on various malignant cells including ovarian cancer, but not on normal cells, which makes it a promising tumour-associated antigen candidate for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell immunotherapies. In this study, we assessed the cytotoxic effects of nfP2X7-CAR-T cells on ovarian cancer using and models.

Methods: We evaluated the effects of nfP2X7-CAR-T cells on ovarian cancer cell lines (SKOV-3, OVCAR3, OVCAR5), normal peritoneal cells (LP-9) and primary serous ovarian cancer cells derived from patient ascites using monolayer and 3D spheroid assays.

Atypical chemokine receptors in the immune system.

Leukocyte migration is a fundamental component of innate and adaptive immune responses as it governs the recruitment and localization of these motile cells, which is crucial for immune cell priming, effector functions, memory responses and immune regulation. This complex cellular trafficking system is controlled to a large extent via highly regulated production of secreted chemokines and the restricted expression of their membrane-tethered G-protein-coupled receptors. The activity of chemokines and their receptors is also regulated by a subfamily of molecules known as atypical chemokine receptors (ACKRs), which are chemokine receptor-like molecules that do not couple to the classical signalling pathways that promote cell migration in response to chemokine ligation.

Two regulatory T cell populations in the visceral adipose tissue shape systemic metabolism.

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is an energy store and endocrine organ critical for metabolic homeostasis. Regulatory T (T) cells restrain inflammation to preserve VAT homeostasis and glucose tolerance. Here, we show that the VAT harbors two distinct T cell populations: prototypical serum stimulation 2-positive (ST2) T cells that are enriched in males and a previously uncharacterized population of C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 3-positive (CXCR3) T cells that are enriched in females.