Despite advances in the diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, the prognosis of several solid tumor malignancies remains poor. Different factors associated with solid tumors including a varied ...genetic signature, complex molecular signaling pathways, defective cross talk between the tumor cells and immune cells, hypoxic and immunosuppressive effects of tumor microenvironment result in a treatment resistant and metastatic phenotype. Over the past several years, immunotherapy has emerged as an attractive therapeutic option against multiple malignancies. The unique ability of natural killer (NK) cells to target cancer cells without antigen specificity makes them an ideal candidate for use against solid tumors. However, the outcomes of adoptive NK cell infusions into patients with solid tumors have been disappointing. Extensive studies have been done to investigate different strategies to improve the NK cell function, trafficking and tumor targeting. Use of cytokines and cytokine analogs has been well described and utilized to enhance the proliferation, stimulation and persistence of NK cells. Other techniques like blocking the human leukocyte antigen-killer cell receptors (KIR) interactions with anti-KIR monoclonal antibodies, preventing CD16 receptor shedding, increasing the expression of activating NK cell receptors like NKG2D, and use of immunocytokines and immune checkpoint inhibitors can enhance NK cell mediated cytotoxicity. Using genetically modified NK cells with chimeric antigen receptors and bispecific and trispecific NK cell engagers, NK cells can be effectively redirected to the tumor cells improving their cytotoxic potential. In this review, we have described these strategies and highlighted the need to further optimize these strategies to improve the clinical outcome of NK cell based immunotherapy against solid tumors.
We have previously reported 27 differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) during human monocyte differentiation into immature dendritic cells (imDCs) and mature DCs (mDCs). However, their roles in ...DC differentiation and function remain largely elusive. Here, we report that microRNA (miR)-146a and miR-146b modulate DC apoptosis and cytokine production. Expression of miR-146a and miR-146b was significantly increased upon monocyte differentiation into imDCs and mDCs. Silencing of miR-146a and/or miR-146b in imDCs and mDCs significantly prevented DC apoptosis, whereas overexpressing miR-146a and/or miR-146b increased DC apoptosis. miR-146a and miR-146b expression in imDCs and mDCs was inversely correlated with TRAF6 and IRAK1 expression. Furthermore, siRNA silencing of TRAF6 and/or IRAK1 in imDCs and mDCs enhanced DC apoptosis. By contrast, lentivirus overexpression of TRAF6 and/or IRAK1 promoted DC survival. Moreover, silencing of miR-146a and miR-146b expression had little effect on DC maturation but enhanced IL-12p70, IL-6, and TNF-α production as well as IFN-γ production by IL-12p70-mediated activation of natural killer cells, whereas miR-146a and miR-146b overexpression in mDCs reduced cytokine production. Silencing of miR-146a and miR-146b in DCs also down-regulated NF-κB inhibitor IκBα and increased Bcl-2 expression. Our results identify a new negative feedback mechanism involving the miR-146a/b-TRAF6/IRAK1-NF-κB axis in promoting DC apoptosis.
Background: MicroRNA (miR)-146a and miR-146b (miR-146a/b) expression is induced upon human monocyte differentiation into dendritic cells (DCs).
Results: miR-146a/b negatively regulates DC apoptosis and cytokine production.
Conclusion: The miR-146a/b-TRAF6/IRAK1-NF-κB axis is responsible for DC apoptosis.
Significance: Our data reveal a novel negative feedback regulation in DCs and may have implications in the pathogenesis and treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Summary
The 6th International Symposium on Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult (CAYA) Non‐Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) was held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, 26–29 September, 2018. This summary manuscript ...is a perspective on the presentations from the plenary scientific sessions, including wellness and survivorship, B‐cell NHL, AYA lymphoma, translational NHL biology, lymphoma immunology, bone marrow transplantation and cell therapy, T/Natural Killer cell lymphoma, anaplastic large cell lymphoma, lymphoblastic lymphoma, novel lymphoma therapeutics and Hodgkin lymphoma. The symposium was attended by over 260 registrants from 42 different countries and included young, middle and senior investigators. Finally, the Angelo Rosolen, MD, Memorial Lecture was delivered by Alfred Reiter, MD.
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have an unlimited proliferative capacity and extensive differentiation capability. They are an alternative source for regenerative therapies with a potential role in the ...treatment of several human diseases. The clinical use of ESCs, however, has significant ethical and biological obstacles related to their derivation from embryos and potential for immunological rejection, respectively. These disadvantages can be circumvented by the alternative use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are generated from an individual's (autologous) somatic cells by exogenous expression of defined transcription factors and have biological characteristics similar to ESCs. In recent years, patient-specific iPSCs have been generated to study disease mechanisms and develop iPSC-based therapies. The development of iPSC-based therapies for skin diseases requires successful differentiation of iPSCs into cellular components of the skin, including epidermal keratinocytes. Here, we succeeded in generating iPSCs not only from normal human fibroblasts but also from fibroblasts isolated from the skin of two patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Moreover, we differentiated both of these iPSCs into keratinocytes with high efficiency, and generated 3D skin equivalents using iPSC-derived keratinocytes, suggesting that they were fully functional. Our studies indicate that autologous iPSCs have the potential to provide a source of cells for regenerative therapies for specific skin diseases.
Summary
Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS), previously known as hepatic veno‐occlusive disease (VOD), remains a multi‐organ system complication following haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). ...When SOS/VOD is accompanied by multi‐organ dysfunction, overall mortality rates remain >80%. However, the definitions related to the diagnosis and grading of SOS/VOD after HCT are almost 25 years old and require new and contemporary modifications. Importantly, the pathophysiology of SOS/VOD, including the contribution of dysregulated inflammatory and coagulation cascades as well as the critical importance of liver and vascular derived endothelial dysfunction, have been elucidated. Here we summarise new information on pathogenesis of SOS/VOD; identify modifiable and unmodifiable risk factors for disease development; propose novel, contemporary and panel opinion‐based diagnostic criteria and an innovative organ‐based method of SOS/VOD grading classification; and review current approaches for prophylaxis and treatment of SOS/VOD. This review will hopefully illuminate pathways responsible for drug‐induced liver injury and manifestations of disease, sharpen awareness of risk for disease development and enhance the timely and correct diagnosis of SOS/VOD post‐HCT.
Summary
Tumour lysis syndrome (TLS) is a life‐threatening oncological emergency characterized by metabolic abnormalities including hyperuricaemia, hyperphosphataemia, hyperkalaemia and hypocalcaemia. ...These metabolic complications predispose the cancer patient to clinical toxicities including renal insufficiency, cardiac arrhythmias, seizures, neurological complications and potentially sudden death. With the increased availability of newer therapeutic targeted agents, such as rasburicase (recombinant urate oxidase), there are no published guidelines on the risk classification of TLS for individual patients at risk of developing this syndrome. We convened an international TLS expert consensus panel to develop guidelines for a medical decision tree to assign low, intermediate and high risk to patients with cancer at risk for TLS. Risk factors included biological evidence of laboratory TLS (LTLS), proliferation, bulk and stage of malignant tumour and renal impairment and/or involvement at the time of TLS diagnosis. An international TLS consensus expert panel of paediatric and adult oncologists, experts in TLS pathophysiology and experts in TLS prophylaxis and management, developed a final model of low, intermediate and high risk TLS classification and associated TLS prophylaxis recommendations.
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