Antitumor effects and persistence of a novel HER2 CAR T cells directed to gastric cancer in preclinical models.

New immunotherapeutic approaches are urgently needed for gastric cancer due to its poor survival and unsatisfactory treatment. Here we applied the humanized chA21 scfv based chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) modified T cells approach to the HER2 overexpressing gastric cancer treatment. The chA21-4-1BBz CAR T cells specifically exerted Th1 skewed cytokine response and efficient cytolysis of HER2 overexpressing human gastric cancer cells .

HSV-1 activates NF-kappaB in mouse astrocytes and increases TNF-alpha and IL-6 expression via Toll-like receptor 3.

Objective: To investigate the effect of HSV-1 infection via TLR3 on the transcriptional activity of NF-kappaB and the expression of cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-6 in astrocytes.

Methods: HSV-1-infected primary astrocytes were cultured until the third passage and the mRNA and protein levels of TLR3, NF-kappaB, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 were assessed by immunofluorescence, RT-PCR, and Western blot. The effects of the NF-kappaB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) and TLR3-neutralizing antibody on the expression of NF-kappaB, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 were investigated.