Composition of heterotrophic specialized sub-guilds defined by a positive RNA and polyhydroxyalkanoate correlation in activated sludge.

Microbial heterotrophic guilds in activated sludge wastewater treatment systems have complex population structures and functions. A previously proposed heterotrophic-specialist model states that heterotrophs consist of sub-guilds specialized in consuming specific classes of compounds, either readily degradable substrate (RDS) or slowly degradable substrate (SDS) according to current mathematical modeling practices for wastewater treatment processes. It follows from metabolic considerations that the levels of RNA and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) are correlated for strains of the same species growing in different environments; a conjecture previously tested.

Immunization with a poly (lactide co-glycolide) encapsulated plasmid DNA expressing antigenic regions of HPV 16 and 18 results in an increase in the precursor frequency of T cells that respond to epitopes from HPV 16, 18, 6 and 11.

A phase II trial was conducted in subjects with human papillomavirus (HPV) associated high-grade cervical dysplasia testing the safety and efficacy of a microparticle encapsulated pDNA vaccine. Amolimogene expresses T cell epitopes from E6 and E7 proteins of HPV types 16 and 18. An analysis was performed on a subset of HLA-A2+ subjects to test whether CD8+ T cells specific to HPV 16, 18, 6 and 11 were increased in response to amolimogene immunization.

In vivo electroporation enhances the potency of poly-lactide co-glycolide (PLG) plasmid DNA immunization.

Immunization with plasmid DNA that has been encapsulated in poly lactide-co-glycolide (PLG) microparticles targets the plasmid DNA to antigen presenting cells and elicits immune responses to the encoded antigen(s). Application of a series of electrical pulses (EPT) immediately following unformulated DNA injection enhances expression of the encoded antigen and increases immune responses. The combination of using EPT before or after PLG-encapsulated plasmid DNA immunization was tested to determine if enhanced immune responses would be generated.

Consecutive low doses of cyclophosphamide preferentially target Tregs and potentiate T cell responses induced by DNA PLG microparticle immunization.

Cyclophosphamide in combination with immunotherapeutic approaches preferentially impinges on T(reg) activity and allows for robust generation of T cell effectors. Reduced dosages of cyclophosphamide are necessary to restrict its cytotoxic effects to the negative regulatory cell populations while sparing effector lymphocytes. We investigated cyclophosphamide dosing in combination with ZYC300, a PLG-encapsulated plasmid DNA vaccine which encodes the cytochrome P450 family member, CYP1B1, a known human tumor-associated antigen.

Targeting cytochrome P450 CYP1B1 with a therapeutic cancer vaccine.

The role that the immune system plays in limiting tumor formation and growth is becoming increasingly clear and passive immunotherapeutic approaches, such as the use of monoclonal antibodies, are now being successfully applied in clinical practice. Active immunization against tumors, however, has not yet been shown to have the same level of clinical efficacy. Two important reasons for this lack of efficacy have to do with the antigens being targeted, as well as the immunization approaches that have been tested.