Treatment of patients with advanced cancer with the natural killer cell line NK-92

Background aimsNatural killer (NK) cells, either naive or genetically engineered, are increasingly considered for cellular therapy of patients with malignancies. When using NK cells from peripheral blood, the number of expanded NK cells can be highly variable and the need for NK cell enrichment can make the process expensive. The NK-92 cell line (CD56+/CD3?) that was isolated from a patient with lymphoma has predictable high cytotoxic activity and can be expanded under good manufacturing practice conditions in recombinant interleukin-2.MethodsFifteen patients (age, 9–71 years) with advanced, treatment-resistant malignancies, either solid tumors/sarcomas (n = 13) or leukemia/lymphoma (n = 2), received two infusions of NK-92 cells, given 48 h apart. Three cohorts of patients were treated with escalating doses of NK-92 cells (n = 7 at 1 × 10⁹, n = 6 at 3 × 10⁹ and n = 2 at 1 × 10¹⁰ cells/m²).ResultsNo infusion-related or long-term side effects were observed. The dose of 10¹⁰ cells/m² was considered the maximum expandable cell dose with the use of an established culture bag system. Three fourths of patients with lung cancer had some anti-tumor response. Only one patient of seven had development of human leukocyte antigen antibodies. The persistence of NK-92 cells (male origin) in the circulation was confirmed by Y chromosome–specific polymerase chain reaction in two female patients.ConclusionsInfusions of NK-92 cells up to 10¹⁰ cells/m² were well tolerated. Despite the allogeneic nature of NK-92, development of human leukocyte antigen antibodies in these patients with cancer appears to be rare. The cells can persist in the recipient's circulation for at least 48 h. Some encouraging responses were seen in patients with advanced lung cancer.     

Differential Sensitivity of Bat Cells to Infection by Enveloped RNA Viruses: Coronaviruses,Paramyxoviruses, Filoviruses,and Influenza Viruses

Bats (Chiroptera) host major human pathogenic viruses including corona-, paramyxo, rhabdo- and filoviruses. We analyzed six different cell lines from either Yinpterochiroptera (including African flying foxes and a rhinolophid bat) or Yangochiroptera (genera Carollia and Tadarida) for susceptibility to infection by different enveloped RNA viruses. None of the cells were sensitive to infection by transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), a porcine coronavirus, or to infection mediated by the Spike (S) protein of SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) incorporated into pseudotypes based on vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). The resistance to infection was overcome if cells were transfected to express the respective cellular receptor, porcine aminopeptidase N for TGEV or angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 for SARS-CoV. VSV pseudotypes containing the S proteins of two bat SARS-related CoV (Bg08 and Rp3) were unable to infect any of the six tested bat cell lines. By contrast, viral pseudotypes containing the surface protein GP of Marburg virus from the family Filoviridae infected all six cell lines though at different efficiency. Notably, all cells were sensitive to infection by two paramyxoviruses (Sendai virus and bovine respiratory syncytial virus) and three influenza viruses from different subtypes. These results indicate that bat cells are more resistant to infection by coronaviruses than to infection by paramyxoviruses, filoviruses and influenza viruses. Furthermore, these results show a receptor-dependent restriction of the infection of bat cells by CoV. The implications for the isolation of coronaviruses from bats are discussed.     

Safety and Immunogenicity of a Live Attenuated RSV Vaccine in Healthy RSV-Seronegative Children 5 to 24 Months of Age

Despite substantial morbidity associated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, there is no licensed vaccine. MEDI-559 is a live attenuated intranasal vaccine candidate being developed for prevention of lower respiratory illness due to RSV in young children. This randomized, placebo-controlled study evaluated safety of MEDI-559 in healthy, RSV-seronegative children. MEDI-559 or placebo was administered on 3 occasions, 2 months apart. Primary safety was based on solicited symptoms (SSs) and adverse events (AEs) collected for 28 days after each dose. Nasal wash samples were collected 3 times after each dose (days 7-10, 12-18, 28-34) and at sick visits. Serum was collected for measuring antibody immune responses to RSV prior to first vaccination and 28 days post final dose. Long-term safety was monitored for 365 days from first dose. SSs were mild and frequent (MEDI-559 84%; placebo 91%); most common SSs were runny/stuffy nose, cough, and irritability/fussiness. AEs occurred in 67% MEDI-559 and 57% placebo recipients: most common AE was upper respiratory tract infection (MEDI-559 35%; placebo 23%). Higher incidence of medically attended lower respiratory illness within 28 days after dosing occurred in the MEDI-559 arm compared to placebo (none associated with vaccine virus shedding). There was no evidence of enhanced RSV disease. Vaccine virus was detected only in MEDI-559 recipients; shedding occurred in 56%subjects, primarily post dose 1. A functional immune response was observed in 59% and 9% MEDI-559 and placebo recipients, respectively, by an RSV microneutralization assay. Vaccine take, assessed by proportion that shed vaccine-type virus or had a seroresponse against RSV, was seen in 95% MEDI-559 subjects. MEDI-559 is therefore biologically active and immunogenic in this seronegative pediatric population. Although the frequency of SSs and AEs was not considered clinically significant, the increase in medically attended lower respiratory illnesses in the vaccine group warrants expanded safety studies.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00767416     

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1(9-36) Inhibits Chemokine-Induced Migration of Human CD4-Positive Lymphocytes

Introduction

Inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV), which decrease the degradation of glucose-lowering GLP-1(7-36) to the metabolically inactive GLP-1(9-36), are current new treatment options for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a high-risk population for cardiovascular disease. However, the effects of the metabolite GLP-1(9-36) on atherosclerosis are unknown. Thus, the present study examined the effect of GLP-1(9-36) on chemokine-induced CD4-positive lymphocyte migration as one of the early and critical steps in atherogenesis.

Methods and Results

Stimulation of isolated human CD4-positive lymphocytes with SDF-1 led to a 3.4 fold (p<0.001; n = 7) increase in cell migration. Pretreatment of cells with GLP-1(9-36) reduced this effect in a concentration-dependent manner by 41% to a 2.0 fold induction at 10 nmol/L GLP-1(9-36) (p<0.001 compared to SDF-1-treated cells, n = 7). Similar effects were obtained when RANTES was used as a chemokine to induce cell migration. The action of GLP-1(9-36) on CD4-positive lymphocyte migration was mediated through an early inhibition of chemokine-induced PI-3 kinase activity. Downstream in the PI-3 kinase signaling pathway, GLP-1(9-36) inhibited SDF-1-induced phosphorylation of MLC and cofilin and decreased f-actin formation as well as ICAM3 translocation as shown by Western blotting, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry, respectively. However, the effect of GLP-1(9-36) on PI-3 kinase signaling was not associated with increased intracellular levels of cAMP. Furthermore, experiments with siRNA demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of GLP-1(9-36) on SDF-1-induced ICAM3-translocation was preserved in human CD4-positive lymphocytes lacking the GLP-1 receptor, suggesting signaling independent of the known GLP-1 receptor.

Conclusion

Thus, GLP-1(9-36) inhibits chemokine-induced CD4-positive lymphocyte migration by inhibition of the PI3-kinase pathway independent of cAMP and GLP-1 receptor signaling. Further studies are needed to assess whether such effects may be clinically relevant for patients with type 2 diabetes treated with DPP-IV inhibitors.     

Vascular and Inflammatory High Fat Meal Responses in Young Healthy Men; A Discriminative Role of IL-8 Observed in a Randomized Trial

Background

High fat meal challenges are known to induce postprandial low-grade inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. This assumption is largely based on studies performed in older populations or in populations with a progressed disease state and an appropriate control meal is often lacking. Young healthy individuals might be more resilient to such challenges. We therefore aimed to characterize the vascular and inflammatory response after a high fat meal in young healthy individuals.

Methods

In a double-blind randomized cross-over intervention study, we used a comprehensive phenotyping approach to determine the vascular and inflammatory response after consumption of a high fat shake and after an average breakfast shake in 20 young healthy subjects. Both interventions were performed three times.

Results

Many features of the vascular postprandial response, such as FMD, arterial stiffness and micro-vascular skin blood flow were not different between shakes. High fat/high energy shake consumption was associated with a more pronounced increase in blood pressure, heart rate, plasma concentrations of IL-8 and PBMCs gene expression of IL-8 and CD54 (ICAM-1), whereas plasma concentrations of sVCAM1 were decreased compared to an average breakfast.

Conclusion

Whereas no difference in postprandial response were observed on classical markers of endothelial function, we did observe differences between consumption of a HF/HE and an average breakfast meal on blood pressure and IL-8 in young healthy volunteers. IL-8 might play an important role in dealing with high fat challenges and might be an early marker for endothelial stress, a stage preceding endothelial dysfunction.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00766623","term_id":"NCT00766623"}}NCT00766623     

Influence of the internal disulfide bridge on the folding pathway of the CL antibody domain

Disulfide bridges are one of the most important factors stabilizing the native structure of a protein. Whereas the basis for their stabilizing effect is well understood, their role in a protein folding reaction still seems to require further attention. We used the constant domain of the antibody light chain (C(L)), a representative of the ubiquitous immunoglobulin (Ig)-superfamily, to delineate the kinetic role of its single buried disulfide bridge. Independent of its redox state, the monomeric C(L) domain adopts a typical Ig-fold under native conditions and does not retain significant structural elements when unfolded. Interestingly, its folding pathway is strongly influenced by the disulfide bridge. The more stable oxidized protein folds via a highly structured on-pathway intermediate, whereas the destabilized reduced protein populates a misfolded off-pathway species on its way to the native state. In both cases, the formation of the intermediate species is shown to be independent of the isomerization state of the Tyr(141)-Pro(142) bond. Our results demonstrate that the internal disulfide bridge in an antibody domain restricts the folding pathway by bringing residues of the folding nucleus into proximity thus facilitating the way to the native state.     

A Novel Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury for Juvenile Rats

Despite growing evidence that childhood represents a major risk period for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) from sports-related concussions, motor vehicle accidents, and falls, a reliable animal model of mTBI had previously not been developed for this important aspect of development. The modified weight-drop technique employs a glancing impact to the head of a freely moving rodent transmitting acceleration, deceleration, and rotational forces upon the brain. When applied to juvenile rats, this modified weight-drop technique induced clinically relevant behavioural outcomes that were representative of post-concussion symptomology. The technique is a rapidly applied procedure with an extremely low mortality rate, rendering it ideal for high-throughput studies of therapeutics. In addition, because the procedure involves a mild injury to a closed head, it can easily be used for studies of repetitive brain injury. Owing to the simplistic nature of this technique, and the clinically relevant biomechanics of the injury pathophysiology, the modified weight-drop technique provides researchers with a reliable model of mTBI that can be used in a wide variety of behavioural, molecular, and genetic studies.     

SeqAnt: A web service to rapidly identify and annotate DNA sequence variations

Background  

The enormous throughput and low cost of second-generation sequencing platforms now allow research and clinical geneticists to routinely perform single experiments that identify tens of thousands to millions of variant sites. Existing methods to annotate variant sites using information from publicly available databases via web browsers are too slow to be useful for the large sequencing datasets being routinely generated by geneticists. Because sequence annotation of variant sites is required before functional characterization can proceed, the lack of a high-throughput pipeline to efficiently annotate variant sites can act as a significant bottleneck in genetics research.