Add BrightSurf on Google Email

New clues discovered to lung transplant rejection

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine identified a process that may prevent antibody-mediated rejection in lung transplants. They found that giving immunosuppressive drugs can help the lungs survive and induce growth of lymph node-like structures within the grafts, which contain cells that dampen immune responses.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateFeb 4, 2019

Global trial shows CAR T therapy can lead to durable remissions in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

A global clinical trial has shown that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy can lead to long-lasting remissions in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The treatment, known as Kymriah, modified patients' own immune T cells to target cancer cells and achieved high remission rates.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateDec 1, 2018

First-of-its-kind research models immune responses in cellular immunotherapies

Scientists have developed a first-of-its-kind model of immune responses in cellular immunotherapies, such as stem cell transplantation and CAR T-cell therapies. This breakthrough research aims to personalize treatments and reduce complications like graft-versus-host disease. The model has the potential to identify optimal donors for tr...

SourceVirginia Commonwealth University·JournalFrontiers in Immunology·DateNov 5, 2018

Cancer patients with rare deadly brain infection treated successfully with off-the-shelf adoptive T-cell therapy

A Phase II clinical trial found marked improvement in three patients with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare and often fatal brain infection. Patients infused with donor T cells targeting the BK virus experienced significant reductions in JC viral load and clinical improvement.

SourceUniversity of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateOct 10, 2018

New discovery on T cell behavior has major implications for cancer immunotherapy

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have discovered that T cells elicited from subunit vaccines can reproduce without glucose, supporting their expansion and potentially defeating cancerous tumors. This finding has major implications for the development of immunotherapies for cancer patients.

SourceUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus·JournalScience Immunology·DateSep 7, 2018

Lymph node structural cells rein in human immune responses

Researchers identified four mechanisms by which Fibroblastic Reticular Cells dampen down T cell responses, including pathways involving prostaglandin E2 and transforming growth factor beta. The study's findings have significant implications for understanding immune responses in situations where T cells don't work as well as they should.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateSep 5, 2018

Nanoparticles give immune cells a boost

Researchers at MIT developed nanoparticle 'backpacks' that hold immune-stimulating drugs and attach them directly to T cells, enhancing their activity without harmful side effects. In a study of mice, the approach led to tumor disappearance in over half of treated animals, offering new hope for treating solid tumors.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateJul 9, 2018