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James P. Allison

Bio: James P. Allison is an academic researcher from University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The author has contributed to research in topics: T cell & Antigen. The author has an hindex of 137, co-authored 483 publications receiving 83336 citations. Previous affiliations of James P. Allison include University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio & University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
09 Feb 2006-Nature
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed genes expressed in functionally impaired virus-specific CD8 T cells present in mice chronically infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), and compared these with the gene profile of functional memory CD8T cells.
Abstract: Functional impairment of antigen-specific T cells is a defining characteristic of many chronic infections, but the underlying mechanisms of T-cell dysfunction are not well understood. To address this question, we analysed genes expressed in functionally impaired virus-specific CD8 T cells present in mice chronically infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), and compared these with the gene profile of functional memory CD8 T cells. Here we report that PD-1 (programmed death 1; also known as Pdcd1) was selectively upregulated by the exhausted T cells, and that in vivo administration of antibodies that blocked the interaction of this inhibitory receptor with its ligand, PD-L1 (also known as B7-H1), enhanced T-cell responses. Notably, we found that even in persistently infected mice that were lacking CD4 T-cell help, blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitory pathway had a beneficial effect on the 'helpless' CD8 T cells, restoring their ability to undergo proliferation, secrete cytokines, kill infected cells and decrease viral load. Blockade of the CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4) inhibitory pathway had no effect on either T-cell function or viral control. These studies identify a specific mechanism of T-cell exhaustion and define a potentially effective immunological strategy for the treatment of chronic viral infections.

3,567 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
03 Apr 2015-Science
TL;DR: The way forward for this class of novel agents lies in the ability to understand human immune responses in the tumor microenvironment, which will provide valuable information regarding the dynamic nature of the immune response and regulation of additional pathways that will need to be targeted through combination therapies to provide survival benefit for greater numbers of patients.
Abstract: Immune checkpoint therapy, which targets regulatory pathways in T cells to enhance antitumor immune responses, has led to important clinical advances and provided a new weapon against cancer. This therapy has elicited durable clinical responses and, in a fraction of patients, long-term remissions where patients exhibit no clinical signs of cancer for many years. The way forward for this class of novel agents lies in our ability to understand human immune responses in the tumor microenvironment. This will provide valuable information regarding the dynamic nature of the immune response and regulation of additional pathways that will need to be targeted through combination therapies to provide survival benefit for greater numbers of patients.

3,499 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
22 Mar 1996-Science
TL;DR: In vivo administration of antibodies to CTLA-4 resulted in the rejection of tumors, including preestablished tumors, and this rejection resulted in immunity to a secondary exposure to tumor cells, suggesting that blockade of the inhibitory effects of CTLA4 can allow for, and potentiate, effective immune responses against tumor cells.
Abstract: One reason for the poor immunogenicity of many tumors may be that they cannot provide signals for CD28-mediated costimulation necessary to fully activate T cells. It has recently become apparent that CTLA-4, a second counterreceptor for the B7 family of costimulatory molecules, is a negative regulator of T cell activation. Here, in vivo administration of antibodies to CTLA-4 resulted in the rejection of tumors, including preestablished tumors. Furthermore, this rejection resulted in immunity to a secondary exposure to tumor cells. These results suggest that blockade of the inhibitory effects of CTLA-4 can allow for, and potentiate, effective immune responses against tumor cells.

3,247 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
05 Jan 2018-Science
TL;DR: Examination of the oral and gut microbiome of melanoma patients undergoing anti-programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1) immunotherapy suggested enhanced systemic and antitumor immunity in responding patients with a favorable gut microbiome as well as in germ-free mice receiving fecal transplants from responding patients.
Abstract: Preclinical mouse models suggest that the gut microbiome modulates tumor response to checkpoint blockade immunotherapy; however, this has not been well-characterized in human cancer patients. Here we examined the oral and gut microbiome of melanoma patients undergoing anti-programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1) immunotherapy (n = 112). Significant differences were observed in the diversity and composition of the patient gut microbiome of responders versus nonresponders. Analysis of patient fecal microbiome samples (n = 43, 30 responders, 13 nonresponders) showed significantly higher alpha diversity (P < 0.01) and relative abundance of bacteria of the Ruminococcaceae family (P < 0.01) in responding patients. Metagenomic studies revealed functional differences in gut bacteria in responders, including enrichment of anabolic pathways. Immune profiling suggested enhanced systemic and antitumor immunity in responding patients with a favorable gut microbiome as well as in germ-free mice receiving fecal transplants from responding patients. Together, these data have important implications for the treatment of melanoma patients with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

2,791 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown here that the presence of low levels of B7-2 on freshly explanted T cells can partially inhibit T cell proliferation, and this inhibition is mediated by interactions with CTLA-4, which strongly suggests that the outcome of T cell antigen receptor stimulation is regulated by CD28 costimulatory signals, as well as inhibitory signals derived from CTla-4.
Abstract: The importance of the B7/CD28/CTLA-4 molecules has been established in studies of antigen-presenting cell-derived B7 and its interaction with the T cell costimulatory molecule CD28. CTLA-4, a T cell surface glycoprotein that is related to CD28, can also interact with B7-1 and B7-2. However, less is known about the function of CTLA-4, which is expressed at highest levels after activation. We have generated an antibody to CTLA-4 to investigate the consequences of engagement of this molecule in a carefully defined system using highly purified T cells. We show here that the presence of low levels of B7-2 on freshly explanted T cells can partially inhibit T cell proliferation, and this inhibition is mediated by interactions with CTLA-4. Cross-linking of CTLA-4 together with the TCR and CD28 strongly inhibits proliferation and IL-2 secretion by T cells. Finally, results show that CD28 and CTLA-4 deliver opposing signals that appear to be integrated by the T cell in determining the response to activation. These data strongly suggest that the outcome of T cell antigen receptor stimulation is regulated by CD28 costimulatory signals, as well as inhibitory signals derived from CTLA-4.

2,007 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Anti-PD-1 antibody produced objective responses in approximately one in four to one in five patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, melanoma, or renal-cell cancer; the adverse-event profile does not appear to preclude its use.
Abstract: Background Blockade of programmed death 1 (PD-1), an inhibitory receptor expressed by T cells, can overcome immune resistance. We assessed the antitumor activity and safety of BMS-936558, an antibody that specifically blocks PD-1. Methods We enrolled patients with advanced melanoma, non–small-cell lung cancer, castrationresistant prostate cancer, or renal-cell or colorectal cancer to receive anti–PD-1 antibody at a dose of 0.1 to 10.0 mg per kilogram of body weight every 2 weeks. Response was assessed after each 8-week treatment cycle. Patients received up to 12 cycles until disease progression or a complete response occurred. Results A total of 296 patients received treatment through February 24, 2012. Grade 3 or 4 drugrelated adverse events occurred in 14% of patients; there were three deaths from pulmonary toxicity. No maximum tolerated dose was defined. Adverse events consistent with immune-related causes were observed. Among 236 patients in whom response could be evaluated, objective responses (complete or partial responses) were observed in those with non–small-cell lung cancer, melanoma, or renal-cell cancer. Cumulative response rates (all doses) were 18% among patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (14 of 76 patients), 28% among patients with melanoma (26 of 94 patients), and 27% among patients with renal-cell cancer (9 of 33 patients). Responses were durable; 20 of 31 responses lasted 1 year or more in patients with 1 year or more of follow-up. To assess the role of intratumoral PD-1 ligand (PD-L1) expression in the modulation of the PD-1–PD-L1 pathway, immunohistochemical analysis was performed on pretreatment tumor specimens obtained from 42 patients. Of 17 patients with PD-L1–negative tumors, none had an objective response; 9 of 25 patients (36%) with PD-L1–positive tumors had an objective response (P = 0.006). Conclusions Anti–PD-1 antibody produced objective responses in approximately one in four to one in five patients with non–small-cell lung cancer, melanoma, or renal-cell cancer; the adverse-event profile does not appear to preclude its use. Preliminary data suggest a relationship between PD-L1 expression on tumor cells and objective response. (Funded by Bristol-Myers Squibb and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00730639.)

10,674 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Preliminary clinical findings with blockers of additional immune-checkpoint proteins, such as programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1), indicate broad and diverse opportunities to enhance antitumour immunity with the potential to produce durable clinical responses.
Abstract: Immune checkpoints refer to the plethora of inhibitory pathways that are crucial to maintaining self-tolerance. Tumour cells induce immune checkpoints to evade immunosurveillance. This Review discusses the progress in targeting immune checkpoints, the considerations for combinatorial therapy and the potential for additional immune-checkpoint targets.

10,602 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Nov 2001-Nature
TL;DR: Stem cell biology has come of age: Unequivocal proof that stem cells exist in the haematopoietic system has given way to the prospective isolation of several tissue-specific stem and progenitor cells, the initial delineation of their properties and expressed genetic programmes, and the beginnings of their utility in regenerative medicine.
Abstract: Stem cell biology has come of age. Unequivocal proof that stem cells exist in the haematopoietic system has given way to the prospective isolation of several tissue-specific stem and progenitor cells, the initial delineation of their properties and expressed genetic programmes, and the beginnings of their utility in regenerative medicine. Perhaps the most important and useful property of stem cells is that of self-renewal. Through this property, striking parallels can be found between stem cells and cancer cells: tumours may often originate from the transformation of normal stem cells, similar signalling pathways may regulate self-renewal in stem cells and cancer cells, and cancer cells may include 'cancer stem cells' - rare cells with indefinite potential for self-renewal that drive tumorigenesis.

8,999 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Evan Bolyen1, Jai Ram Rideout1, Matthew R. Dillon1, Nicholas A. Bokulich1, Christian C. Abnet2, Gabriel A. Al-Ghalith3, Harriet Alexander4, Harriet Alexander5, Eric J. Alm6, Manimozhiyan Arumugam7, Francesco Asnicar8, Yang Bai9, Jordan E. Bisanz10, Kyle Bittinger11, Asker Daniel Brejnrod7, Colin J. Brislawn12, C. Titus Brown4, Benjamin J. Callahan13, Andrés Mauricio Caraballo-Rodríguez14, John Chase1, Emily K. Cope1, Ricardo Silva14, Christian Diener15, Pieter C. Dorrestein14, Gavin M. Douglas16, Daniel M. Durall17, Claire Duvallet6, Christian F. Edwardson, Madeleine Ernst14, Madeleine Ernst18, Mehrbod Estaki17, Jennifer Fouquier19, Julia M. Gauglitz14, Sean M. Gibbons20, Sean M. Gibbons15, Deanna L. Gibson17, Antonio Gonzalez14, Kestrel Gorlick1, Jiarong Guo21, Benjamin Hillmann3, Susan Holmes22, Hannes Holste14, Curtis Huttenhower23, Curtis Huttenhower24, Gavin A. Huttley25, Stefan Janssen26, Alan K. Jarmusch14, Lingjing Jiang14, Benjamin D. Kaehler25, Benjamin D. Kaehler27, Kyo Bin Kang28, Kyo Bin Kang14, Christopher R. Keefe1, Paul Keim1, Scott T. Kelley29, Dan Knights3, Irina Koester14, Tomasz Kosciolek14, Jorden Kreps1, Morgan G. I. Langille16, Joslynn S. Lee30, Ruth E. Ley31, Ruth E. Ley32, Yong-Xin Liu, Erikka Loftfield2, Catherine A. Lozupone19, Massoud Maher14, Clarisse Marotz14, Bryan D Martin20, Daniel McDonald14, Lauren J. McIver24, Lauren J. McIver23, Alexey V. Melnik14, Jessica L. Metcalf33, Sydney C. Morgan17, Jamie Morton14, Ahmad Turan Naimey1, Jose A. Navas-Molina14, Jose A. Navas-Molina34, Louis-Félix Nothias14, Stephanie B. Orchanian, Talima Pearson1, Samuel L. Peoples35, Samuel L. Peoples20, Daniel Petras14, Mary L. Preuss36, Elmar Pruesse19, Lasse Buur Rasmussen7, Adam R. Rivers37, Michael S. Robeson38, Patrick Rosenthal36, Nicola Segata8, Michael Shaffer19, Arron Shiffer1, Rashmi Sinha2, Se Jin Song14, John R. Spear39, Austin D. Swafford, Luke R. Thompson40, Luke R. Thompson41, Pedro J. Torres29, Pauline Trinh20, Anupriya Tripathi14, Peter J. Turnbaugh10, Sabah Ul-Hasan42, Justin J. J. van der Hooft43, Fernando Vargas, Yoshiki Vázquez-Baeza14, Emily Vogtmann2, Max von Hippel44, William A. Walters32, Yunhu Wan2, Mingxun Wang14, Jonathan Warren45, Kyle C. Weber46, Kyle C. Weber37, Charles H. D. Williamson1, Amy D. Willis20, Zhenjiang Zech Xu14, Jesse R. Zaneveld20, Yilong Zhang47, Qiyun Zhu14, Rob Knight14, J. Gregory Caporaso1 
TL;DR: QIIME 2 development was primarily funded by NSF Awards 1565100 to J.G.C. and R.K.P. and partial support was also provided by the following: grants NIH U54CA143925 and U54MD012388.
Abstract: QIIME 2 development was primarily funded by NSF Awards 1565100 to J.G.C. and 1565057 to R.K. Partial support was also provided by the following: grants NIH U54CA143925 (J.G.C. and T.P.) and U54MD012388 (J.G.C. and T.P.); grants from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (J.G.C. and R.K.); ERCSTG project MetaPG (N.S.); the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences QYZDB-SSW-SMC021 (Y.B.); the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council APP1085372 (G.A.H., J.G.C., Von Bing Yap and R.K.); the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) to D.L.G.; and the State of Arizona Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF), administered by the Arizona Board of Regents, through Northern Arizona University. All NCI coauthors were supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Cancer Institute. S.M.G. and C. Diener were supported by the Washington Research Foundation Distinguished Investigator Award.

8,821 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This Review suggests a new grouping of macrophages based on three different homeostatic activities — host defence, wound healing and immune regulation, and proposes that similarly to primary colours, these three basic macrophage populations can blend into various other 'shades' of activation.
Abstract: Macrophages display remarkable plasticity and can change their physiology in response to environmental cues. These changes can give rise to different populations of cells with distinct functions. In this Review we suggest a new grouping of macrophage populations based on three different homeostatic activities - host defence, wound healing and immune regulation. We propose that similarly to primary colours, these three basic macrophage populations can blend into various other 'shades' of activation. We characterize each population and provide examples of macrophages from specific disease states that have the characteristics of one or more of these populations.

7,384 citations