Showing papers on "Immune system published in 2017"
TL;DR: This review will discuss the activation and function of NF-κB in association with inflammatory diseases and highlight the development of therapeutic strategies based on NF-σB inhibition.
Abstract: The transcription factor NF-κB regulates multiple aspects of innate and adaptive immune functions and serves as a pivotal mediator of inflammatory responses. NF-κB induces the expression of various pro-inflammatory genes, including those encoding cytokines and chemokines, and also participates in inflammasome regulation. In addition, NF-κB plays a critical role in regulating the survival, activation and differentiation of innate immune cells and inflammatory T cells. Consequently, deregulated NF-κB activation contributes to the pathogenic processes of various inflammatory diseases. In this review, we will discuss the activation and function of NF-κB in association with inflammatory diseases and highlight the development of therapeutic strategies based on NF-κB inhibition.
4,110 citations
TL;DR: Clinical studies are beginning to define these factors as immune profiles that can predict responses to immunotherapy, suggesting that a broader view of cancer immunity is required.
Abstract: Immunotherapy is proving to be an effective therapeutic approach in a variety of cancers. But despite the clinical success of antibodies against the immune regulators CTLA4 and PD-L1/PD-1, only a subset of people exhibit durable responses, suggesting that a broader view of cancer immunity is required. Immunity is influenced by a complex set of tumour, host and environmental factors that govern the strength and timing of the anticancer response. Clinical studies are beginning to define these factors as immune profiles that can predict responses to immunotherapy. In the context of the cancer-immunity cycle, such factors combine to represent the inherent immunological status - or 'cancer-immune set point' - of an individual.
3,145 citations
TL;DR: The T cell–inflamed GEP contained IFN-&ggr;–responsive genes related to antigen presentation, chemokine expression, cytotoxic activity, and adaptive immune resistance, and these features were necessary, but not always sufficient, for clinical benefit.
Abstract: Programmed death-1-directed (PD-1-directed) immune checkpoint blockade results in durable antitumor activity in many advanced malignancies. Recent studies suggest that IFN-γ is a critical driver of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression in cancer and host cells, and baseline intratumoral T cell infiltration may improve response likelihood to anti-PD-1 therapies, including pembrolizumab. However, whether quantifying T cell-inflamed microenvironment is a useful pan-tumor determinant of PD-1-directed therapy response has not been rigorously evaluated. Here, we analyzed gene expression profiles (GEPs) using RNA from baseline tumor samples of pembrolizumab-treated patients. We identified immune-related signatures correlating with clinical benefit using a learn-and-confirm paradigm based on data from different clinical studies of pembrolizumab, starting with a small pilot of 19 melanoma patients and eventually defining a pan-tumor T cell-inflamed GEP in 220 patients with 9 cancers. Predictive value was independently confirmed and compared with that of PD-L1 immunohistochemistry in 96 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The T cell-inflamed GEP contained IFN-γ-responsive genes related to antigen presentation, chemokine expression, cytotoxic activity, and adaptive immune resistance, and these features were necessary, but not always sufficient, for clinical benefit. The T cell-inflamed GEP has been developed into a clinical-grade assay that is currently being evaluated in ongoing pembrolizumab trials.
2,142 citations
TL;DR: The feasibility, safety, and immunogenicity of a vaccine that targets up to 20 predicted personal tumour neoantigens is demonstrated and a strong rationale for further development of this approach, alone and in combination with checkpoint blockade or other immunotherapies is provided.
Abstract: Effective anti-tumour immunity in humans has been associated with the presence of T cells directed at cancer neoantigens, a class of HLA-bound peptides that arise from tumour-specific mutations. They are highly immunogenic because they are not present in normal tissues and hence bypass central thymic tolerance. Although neoantigens were long-envisioned as optimal targets for an anti-tumour immune response, their systematic discovery and evaluation only became feasible with the recent availability of massively parallel sequencing for detection of all coding mutations within tumours, and of machine learning approaches to reliably predict those mutated peptides with high-affinity binding of autologous human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules. We hypothesized that vaccination with neoantigens can both expand pre-existing neoantigen-specific T-cell populations and induce a broader repertoire of new T-cell specificities in cancer patients, tipping the intra-tumoural balance in favour of enhanced tumour control. Here we demonstrate the feasibility, safety, and immunogenicity of a vaccine that targets up to 20 predicted personal tumour neoantigens. Vaccine-induced polyfunctional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells targeted 58 (60%) and 15 (16%) of the 97 unique neoantigens used across patients, respectively. These T cells discriminated mutated from wild-type antigens, and in some cases directly recognized autologous tumour. Of six vaccinated patients, four had no recurrence at 25 months after vaccination, while two with recurrent disease were subsequently treated with anti-PD-1 (anti-programmed cell death-1) therapy and experienced complete tumour regression, with expansion of the repertoire of neoantigen-specific T cells. These data provide a strong rationale for further development of this approach, alone and in combination with checkpoint blockade or other immunotherapies.
1,921 citations
TL;DR: Current knowledge on the mechanisms that underlie the activation of immune responses against dying cells and their pathophysiological relevance are reviewed.
Abstract: Immunogenicity depends on two key factors: antigenicity and adjuvanticity. The presence of exogenous or mutated antigens explains why infected cells and malignant cells can initiate an adaptive immune response provided that the cells also emit adjuvant signals as a consequence of cellular stress and death. Several infectious pathogens have devised strategies to control cell death and limit the emission of danger signals from dying cells, thereby avoiding immune recognition. Similarly, cancer cells often escape immunosurveillance owing to defects in the molecular machinery that underlies the release of endogenous adjuvants. Here, we review current knowledge on the mechanisms that underlie the activation of immune responses against dying cells and their pathophysiological relevance.
1,775 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that consumption of particular types of food produces predictable shifts in existing host bacterial genera, which affects host immune and metabolic parameters, with broad implications for human health.
Abstract: Recent studies have suggested that the intestinal microbiome plays an important role in modulating risk of several chronic diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. At the same time, it is now understood that diet plays a significant role in shaping the microbiome, with experiments showing that dietary alterations can induce large, temporary microbial shifts within 24 h. Given this association, there may be significant therapeutic utility in altering microbial composition through diet. This review systematically evaluates current data regarding the effects of several common dietary components on intestinal microbiota. We show that consumption of particular types of food produces predictable shifts in existing host bacterial genera. Furthermore, the identity of these bacteria affects host immune and metabolic parameters, with broad implications for human health. Familiarity with these associations will be of tremendous use to the practitioner as well as the patient.
1,503 citations
TL;DR: Proper regulation and management of energy, substrate diversity and quantity, as well as macromolecular synthesis and breakdown processes, are fundamental to cellular and organismal survival and are paramount to health.
Abstract: Proper regulation and management of energy, substrate diversity and quantity, as well as macromolecular synthesis and breakdown processes, are fundamental to cellular and organismal survival and are paramount to health. Cellular and multicellular organization are defended by the immune response, a robust and critical system through which self is distinguished from non-self, pathogenic signals are recognized and eliminated, and tissue homeostasis is safeguarded. Many layers of evolutionarily conserved interactions occur between immune response and metabolism. Proper maintenance of this delicate balance is crucial for health and has important implications for many pathological states such as obesity, diabetes, and other chronic non-communicable diseases.
1,322 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that both mouse and human TAMs express programmed cell death protein 1, and blockade of PD-1–PD-L1 in vivo increases macrophage phagocytosis, reduces tumour growth and lengthens the survival of mice in mouse models of cancer in a macrophages-dependent fashion.
Abstract: Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is an immune checkpoint receptor that is upregulated on activated T cells for the induction of immune tolerance Tumour cells frequently overexpress the ligand for PD-1, programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), facilitating their escape from the immune system Monoclonal antibodies that block the interaction between PD-1 and PD-L1, by binding to either the ligand or receptor, have shown notable clinical efficacy in patients with a variety of cancers, including melanoma, colorectal cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma Although it is well established that PD-1-PD-L1 blockade activates T cells, little is known about the role that this pathway may have in tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) Here we show that both mouse and human TAMs express PD-1 TAM PD-1 expression increases over time in mouse models of cancer and with increasing disease stage in primary human cancers TAM PD-1 expression correlates negatively with phagocytic potency against tumour cells, and blockade of PD-1-PD-L1 in vivo increases macrophage phagocytosis, reduces tumour growth and lengthens the survival of mice in mouse models of cancer in a macrophage-dependent fashion This suggests that PD-1-PD-L1 therapies may also function through a direct effect on macrophages, with substantial implications for the treatment of cancer with these agents
1,307 citations
TL;DR: This Review focuses on the main chemokines that are found in the human tumour microenvironment, and elaborate on their patterns of expression, their regulation and their roles in immune cell recruitment and in cancer and stromal cell biology.
Abstract: The tumour microenvironment is the primary location in which tumour cells and the host immune system interact. Different immune cell subsets are recruited into the tumour microenvironment via interactions between chemokines and chemokine receptors, and these populations have distinct effects on tumour progression and therapeutic outcomes. In this Review, we focus on the main chemokines that are found in the human tumour microenvironment; we elaborate on their patterns of expression, their regulation and their roles in immune cell recruitment and in cancer and stromal cell biology, and we consider how they affect cancer immunity and tumorigenesis. We also discuss the potential of targeting chemokine networks, in combination with other immunotherapies, for the treatment of cancer.
1,271 citations
TL;DR: It is hoped that combination of Treg-cell targeting with the activation of tumor-specific effector T cells will make the current cancer immunotherapy more effective.
Abstract: FOXP3-expressing regulatory T (Treg) cells, which suppress aberrant immune response against self-antigens, also suppress anti-tumor immune response. Infiltration of a large number of Treg cells into tumor tissues is often associated with poor prognosis. There is accumulating evidence that the removal of Treg cells is able to evoke and enhance anti-tumor immune response. However, systemic depletion of Treg cells may concurrently elicit deleterious autoimmunity. One strategy for evoking effective tumor immunity without autoimmunity is to specifically target terminally differentiated effector Treg cells rather than all FOXP3+ T cells, because effector Treg cells are the predominant cell type in tumor tissues. Various cell surface molecules, including chemokine receptors such as CCR4, that are specifically expressed by effector Treg cells can be the candidates for depleting effector Treg cells by specific cell-depleting monoclonal antibodies. In addition, other immunological characteristics of effector Treg cells, such as their high expression of CTLA-4, active proliferation, and apoptosis-prone tendency, can be exploited to control specifically their functions. For example, anti-CTLA-4 antibody may kill effector Treg cells or attenuate their suppressive activity. It is hoped that combination of Treg-cell targeting (e.g., by reducing Treg cells or attenuating their suppressive activity in tumor tissues) with the activation of tumor-specific effector T cells (e.g., by cancer vaccine or immune checkpoint blockade) will make the current cancer immunotherapy more effective.
1,193 citations
TL;DR: The role of CNS-resident and peripheral immune pathways in microbiota–gut–brain communication during health and neurological disease is discussed.
Abstract: The diverse collection of microorganisms that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract, collectively called the gut microbiota, profoundly influences many aspects of host physiology, including nutrient metabolism, resistance to infection and immune system development. Studies investigating the gut-brain axis demonstrate a critical role for the gut microbiota in orchestrating brain development and behavior, and the immune system is emerging as an important regulator of these interactions. Intestinal microbes modulate the maturation and function of tissue-resident immune cells in the CNS. Microbes also influence the activation of peripheral immune cells, which regulate responses to neuroinflammation, brain injury, autoimmunity and neurogenesis. Accordingly, both the gut microbiota and immune system are implicated in the etiopathogenesis or manifestation of neurodevelopmental, psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, such as autism spectrum disorder, depression and Alzheimer's disease. In this review, we discuss the role of CNS-resident and peripheral immune pathways in microbiota-gut-brain communication during health and neurological disease.
TL;DR: Blood profiling of peripheral blood from patients with stage IV melanoma before and after treatment with the PD-1-targeting antibody pembrolizumab is used to identify pharmacodynamic changes in circulating exhausted-phenotype CD8 T cells (Tex cells) and identify a clinically accessible potential on-treatment predictor of response to PD- 1 blockade.
Abstract: Despite the success of monotherapies based on blockade of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) in human melanoma, most patients do not experience durable clinical benefit. Pre-existing T-cell infiltration and/or the presence of PD-L1 in tumours may be used as indicators of clinical response; however, blood-based profiling to understand the mechanisms of PD-1 blockade has not been widely explored. Here we use immune profiling of peripheral blood from patients with stage IV melanoma before and after treatment with the PD-1-targeting antibody pembrolizumab and identify pharmacodynamic changes in circulating exhausted-phenotype CD8 T cells (Tex cells). Most of the patients demonstrated an immunological response to pembrolizumab. Clinical failure in many patients was not solely due to an inability to induce immune reinvigoration, but rather resulted from an imbalance between T-cell reinvigoration and tumour burden. The magnitude of reinvigoration of circulating Tex cells determined in relation to pretreatment tumour burden correlated with clinical response. By focused profiling of a mechanistically relevant circulating T-cell subpopulation calibrated to pretreatment disease burden, we identify a clinically accessible potential on-treatment predictor of response to PD-1 blockade.
TL;DR: This paper reported profiling of 53,193 individual epithelial cells from the small intestine and organoids of mice, which enabled the identification and characterization of previously unknown subtypes of intestinal epithelial cell and their gene signatures.
Abstract: Intestinal epithelial cells absorb nutrients, respond to microbes, function as a barrier and help to coordinate immune responses. Here we report profiling of 53,193 individual epithelial cells from the small intestine and organoids of mice, which enabled the identification and characterization of previously unknown subtypes of intestinal epithelial cell and their gene signatures. We found unexpected diversity in hormone-secreting enteroendocrine cells and constructed the taxonomy of newly identified subtypes, and distinguished between two subtypes of tuft cell, one of which expresses the epithelial cytokine Tslp and the pan-immune marker CD45, which was not previously associated with non-haematopoietic cells. We also characterized the ways in which cell-intrinsic states and the proportions of different cell types respond to bacterial and helminth infections: Salmonella infection caused an increase in the abundance of Paneth cells and enterocytes, and broad activation of an antimicrobial program; Heligmosomoides polygyrus caused an increase in the abundance of goblet and tuft cells. Our survey highlights previously unidentified markers and programs, associates sensory molecules with cell types, and uncovers principles of gut homeostasis and response to pathogens.
TL;DR: Prophylactic prevention of infection requires dietary vitamin C intakes that provide at least adequate, if not saturating plasma levels, and treatment of established infections requires significantly higher doses to compensate for the increased inflammatory response and metabolic demand.
Abstract: Vitamin C is an essential micronutrient for humans, with pleiotropic functions related to its ability to donate electrons. It is a potent antioxidant and a cofactor for a family of biosynthetic and gene regulatory enzymes. Vitamin C contributes to immune defense by supporting various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Vitamin C supports epithelial barrier function against pathogens and promotes the oxidant scavenging activity of the skin, thereby potentially protecting against environmental oxidative stress. Vitamin C accumulates in phagocytic cells, such as neutrophils, and can enhance chemotaxis, phagocytosis, generation of reactive oxygen species, and ultimately microbial killing. It is also needed for apoptosis and clearance of the spent neutrophils from sites of infection by macrophages, thereby decreasing necrosis/NETosis and potential tissue damage. The role of vitamin C in lymphocytes is less clear, but it has been shown to enhance differentiation and proliferation of B- and T-cells, likely due to its gene regulating effects. Vitamin C deficiency results in impaired immunity and higher susceptibility to infections. In turn, infections significantly impact on vitamin C levels due to enhanced inflammation and metabolic requirements. Furthermore, supplementation with vitamin C appears to be able to both prevent and treat respiratory and systemic infections. Prophylactic prevention of infection requires dietary vitamin C intakes that provide at least adequate, if not saturating plasma levels (i.e., 100–200 mg/day), which optimize cell and tissue levels. In contrast, treatment of established infections requires significantly higher (gram) doses of the vitamin to compensate for the increased inflammatory response and metabolic demand.
TL;DR: It is shown that selective CDK4/6 inhibitors not only induce tumour cell cycle arrest, but also promote anti-tumour immunity, providing a rationale for new combination regimens comprising CDK 4/6 inhibitor and immunotherapies as anti-cancer treatment.
Abstract: Cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) are fundamental drivers of the cell cycle and are required for the initiation and progression of various malignancies. Pharmacological inhibitors of CDK4/6 have shown significant activity against several solid tumours. Their primary mechanism of action is thought to be the inhibition of phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma tumour suppressor, inducing G1 cell cycle arrest in tumour cells. Here we use mouse models of breast carcinoma and other solid tumours to show that selective CDK4/6 inhibitors not only induce tumour cell cycle arrest, but also promote anti-tumour immunity. We confirm this phenomenon through transcriptomic analysis of serial biopsies from a clinical trial of CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment for breast cancer. The enhanced anti-tumour immune response has two underpinnings. First, CDK4/6 inhibitors activate tumour cell expression of endogenous retroviral elements, thus increasing intracellular levels of double-stranded RNA. This in turn stimulates production of type III interferons and hence enhances tumour antigen presentation. Second, CDK4/6 inhibitors markedly suppress the proliferation of regulatory T cells. Mechanistically, the effects of CDK4/6 inhibitors both on tumour cells and on regulatory T cells are associated with reduced activity of the E2F target, DNA methyltransferase 1. Ultimately, these events promote cytotoxic T-cell-mediated clearance of tumour cells, which is further enhanced by the addition of immune checkpoint blockade. Our findings indicate that CDK4/6 inhibitors increase tumour immunogenicity and provide a rationale for new combination regimens comprising CDK4/6 inhibitors and immunotherapies as anti-cancer treatment.
TL;DR: The data indicate that lack of CD103+ DCs within the tumor microenvironment dominantly resists the effector phase of an anti-tumor T cell response, contributing to immune escape.
TL;DR: These findings indicate that anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 checkpoint-blockade-induced immune responses are driven by distinct cellular mechanisms, and that checkpoint blockade targets only specific subsets of tumor-infiltrating T cell populations.
TL;DR: Understanding the interaction of the microbiota with pathogens and the immune system will provide critical insight into the pathogenesis of disease and the development of strategies to prevent and treat inflammatory disease.
Abstract: The intestinal tract of mammals is colonized by a large number of microorganisms including trillions of bacteria that are referred to collectively as the gut microbiota. These indigenous microorganisms have co-evolved with the host in a symbiotic relationship. In addition to metabolic benefits, symbiotic bacteria provide the host with several functions that promote immune homeostasis, immune responses, and protection against pathogen colonization. The ability of symbiotic bacteria to inhibit pathogen colonization is mediated via several mechanisms including direct killing, competition for limited nutrients, and enhancement of immune responses. Pathogens have evolved strategies to promote their replication in the presence of the gut microbiota. Perturbation of the gut microbiota structure by environmental and genetic factors increases the risk of pathogen infection, promotes the overgrowth of harmful pathobionts, and the development of inflammatory disease. Understanding the interaction of the microbiota with pathogens and the immune system will provide critical insight into the pathogenesis of disease and the development of strategies to prevent and treat inflammatory disease.
TL;DR: It is shown that stage I lung adenocarcinoma lesions already harbor significantly altered T cell and NK cell compartments, andaired single-cell analyses thus offer valuable knowledge of tumor-driven immune changes, providing a powerful tool for the rational design of immune therapies.
TL;DR: It becomes apparent that understanding the effects of specific immune interventions can elucidate definitive molecular or cellular nodes that are essential to maintain complex inflammatory networks that subserve diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
TL;DR: Cell type- and target-specific pharmacological intervention to therapeutically induce the deactivation of hepatic stellate cells will enable more effective and less toxic precision antifibrotic therapies.
TL;DR: The initiation of inflammation in the liver, the liver inflammatory cells, and their crosstalk with myofibroblasts are reviewed.
Abstract: Chronic liver inflammation leads to fibrosis and cirrhosis, which is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States. Hepatocyte steatosis is a component of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. Hepatic steatosis may be benign or progress to hepatocyte injury and the initiation of inflammation, which activates immune cells. While Kupffer cells are the resident macrophage in the liver, inflammatory cells such as infiltrating macrophages, T lymphocytes, neutrophils, and DCs all contribute to liver inflammation. The inflammatory cells activate hepatic stellate cells, which are the major source of myofibroblasts in the liver. Here we review the initiation of inflammation in the liver, the liver inflammatory cells, and their crosstalk with myofibroblasts.
TL;DR: The results illustrate that the breast cancer transcriptome has a wide range of intratumoral heterogeneity, which is shaped by the tumour cells and immune cells in the surrounding microenvironment.
Abstract: Single-cell transcriptome profiling of tumour tissue isolates allows the characterization of heterogeneous tumour cells along with neighbouring stromal and immune cells. Here we adopt this powerful approach to breast cancer and analyse 515 cells from 11 patients. Inferred copy number variations from the single-cell RNA-seq data separate carcinoma cells from non-cancer cells. At a single-cell resolution, carcinoma cells display common signatures within the tumour as well as intratumoral heterogeneity regarding breast cancer subtype and crucial cancer-related pathways. Most of the non-cancer cells are immune cells, with three distinct clusters of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes and macrophages. T lymphocytes and macrophages both display immunosuppressive characteristics: T cells with a regulatory or an exhausted phenotype and macrophages with an M2 phenotype. These results illustrate that the breast cancer transcriptome has a wide range of intratumoral heterogeneity, which is shaped by the tumour cells and immune cells in the surrounding microenvironment.
TL;DR: The modulation of tryptophan-kynurenine metabolism using lifestyle and pharmacological interventions could help prevent and treat several diseases with underlying inflammatory mechanisms, including metabolic, oncologic, and mental health disorders.
Abstract: BACKGROUND The essential amino acid tryptophan is a substrate for the generation of several bioactive compounds with important physiological roles. Only a small fraction of ingested tryptophan is used in anabolic processes, whereas the large majority is metabolized along the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation. This pathway generates a range of metabolites, collectively known as kynurenines, involved in inflammation, immune response, and excitatory neurotransmission. Kynurenines have been linked to several psychiatric and mental health disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. In addition, due to the close relationship between kynurenine metabolism and inflammatory responses, kynurenines are emerging as recognized players in a variety of diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Because the levels of enzymes of the kynurenine pathway in peripheral tissues tend to be much higher than in the brain, their contribution to the kynurenine pathway can have both local and systemic consequences. Due to their characteristics, kynurenine and its metabolites have the right profile to fill the role of mediators of interorgan communication. ADVANCES Understanding how the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway is regulated in different tissues, and the diverse biological activities of its metabolites, has become of interest to many areas of science. The bioavailability of tryptophan can be affected by factors that range from gut microbiome composition to systemic inflammatory signals. Gut-resident bacteria can directly absorb tryptophan and thus limit its availability to the host organism. The resulting metabolites can have local effects on both microbiome and host cells and even mediate interspecies communication. In addition, the biochemical fate of absorbed tryptophan will be affected by cross-talk with other nutrients and even by individual fitness, because skeletal muscle has recently been shown to contribute to kynurenine metabolism. With exercise training, skeletal muscle increases the expression of kynurenine aminotransferase enzymes and shifts peripheral kynurenine metabolism toward the production of kynurenic acid. As a consequence, alleviating the accumulation of kynurenine in the central nervous system can positively affect mental health, such as reducing stress-induced depressive symptoms. The kynurenine pathway is highly regulated in the immune system, where it promotes immunosuppression in response to inflammation or infection. Kynurenine reduces the activity of natural killer cells, dendritic cells, or proliferating T cells, whereas kynurenic acid promotes monocyte extravasation and controls cytokine release. Perturbations in the kynurenine pathway have been linked to several diseases. High kynurenine levels can increase the proliferation and migratory capacity of cancer cells and help tumors escape immune surveillance. Kynurenine metabolites have been proposed as markers of type 2 diabetes and may interfere at some level with either insulin secretion or its action on target cells. Kynurenines can signal through different tissue-specific extra- and intracellular receptors in a network of events that integrates nutritional and environmental cues with individual health and fitness. OUTLOOK The modulation of tryptophan-kynurenine metabolism using lifestyle and pharmacological interventions could help prevent and treat several diseases with underlying inflammatory mechanisms, including metabolic, oncologic, and mental health disorders. In this context, and considering the substantial effect that the gut microbiome can have on preabsorptive tryptophan metabolism, it is tempting to envision the use of probiotic-based therapies. The discovery that aerobic exercise training can reduce kynurenine levels in circulation and in the central nervous system could have important implications for the development of future generations of antidepressant medications. This again stresses the many advantages of remaining physically active throughout life. Understanding the multiple levels of control of the kynurenine pathway could help predict susceptibility to disease linked to environmental and dietary signals.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used mass cytometry with extensive antibody panels to perform in-depth immune profiling of samples from 73 clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients and five healthy controls.
TL;DR: This work demonstrates for the first time that acquired resistance to immune checkpoint blockade can arise in association with the evolving landscape of mutations, some of which encode tumor neoantigens recognizable by T cells.
Abstract: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown significant therapeutic responses against tumors containing increased mutation-associated neoantigen load. We have examined the evolving landscape of tumor neoantigens during the emergence of acquired resistance in patients with non-small cell lung cancer after initial response to immune checkpoint blockade with anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-1/anti-CTLA-4 antibodies. Analyses of matched pretreatment and resistant tumors identified genomic changes resulting in loss of 7 to 18 putative mutation-associated neoantigens in resistant clones. Peptides generated from the eliminated neoantigens elicited clonal T-cell expansion in autologous T-cell cultures, suggesting that they generated functional immune responses. Neoantigen loss occurred through elimination of tumor subclones or through deletion of chromosomal regions containing truncal alterations, and was associated with changes in T-cell receptor clonality. These analyses provide insight into the dynamics of mutational landscapes during immune checkpoint blockade and have implications for the development of immune therapies that target tumor neoantigens.Significance: Acquired resistance to immune checkpoint therapy is being recognized more commonly. This work demonstrates for the first time that acquired resistance to immune checkpoint blockade can arise in association with the evolving landscape of mutations, some of which encode tumor neoantigens recognizable by T cells. These observations imply that widening the breadth of neoantigen reactivity may mitigate the development of acquired resistance. Cancer Discov; 7(3); 264-76. ©2017 AACR.See related commentary by Yang, p. 250This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 235.
TL;DR: Findings indicate that some Prevotella strains may be clinically important pathobionts that can participate in human disease by promoting chronic inflammation.
Abstract: The microbiota plays a central role in human health and disease by shaping immune development, immune responses and metabolism, and by protecting from invading pathogens. Technical advances that allow comprehensive characterization of microbial communities by genetic sequencing have sparked the hunt for disease-modulating bacteria. Emerging studies in humans have linked the increased abundance of Prevotella species at mucosal sites to localized and systemic disease, including periodontitis, bacterial vaginosis, rheumatoid arthritis, metabolic disorders and low-grade systemic inflammation. Intriguingly, Prevotella abundance is reduced within the lung microbiota of patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Increased Prevotella abundance is associated with augmented T helper type 17 (Th17) -mediated mucosal inflammation, which is in line with the marked capacity of Prevotella in driving Th17 immune responses in vitro. Studies indicate that Prevotella predominantly activate Toll-like receptor 2, leading to production of Th17-polarizing cytokines by antigen-presenting cells, including interleukin-23 (IL-23) and IL-1. Furthermore, Prevotella stimulate epithelial cells to produce IL-8, IL-6 and CCL20, which can promote mucosal Th17 immune responses and neutrophil recruitment. Prevotella-mediated mucosal inflammation leads to systemic dissemination of inflammatory mediators, bacteria and bacterial products, which in turn may affect systemic disease outcomes. Studies in mice support a causal role of Prevotella as colonization experiments promote clinical and inflammatory features of human disease. When compared with strict commensal bacteria, Prevotella exhibit increased inflammatory properties, as demonstrated by augmented release of inflammatory mediators from immune cells and various stromal cells. These findings indicate that some Prevotella strains may be clinically important pathobionts that can participate in human disease by promoting chronic inflammation.
TL;DR: It is reported that the Treg transcription factor Foxp3 reprograms T cell metabolism by suppressing Myc and glycolysis, enhancing oxidative phosphorylation, and increasing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidation, which allows Tregs a metabolic advantage in low-glucose, lactate-rich environments.
TL;DR: The critical impact of systemic immune responses that drive tumor rejection are demonstrated by developing intuitive models for visualizing single-cell data with statistical inference and analyzing immune responses in several tissues after immunotherapy.
TL;DR: Recent advances in research investigating the composition, synthesis, and regulation of cell walls are discussed and how the cell wall is targeted by immune recognition systems and the design of antifungal diagnostics and therapeutics are discussed.
Abstract: The molecular composition of the cell wall is critical for the biology and ecology of each fungal species. Fungal walls are composed of matrix components that are embedded and linked to scaffolds of fibrous load-bearing polysaccharides. Most of the major cell wall components of fungal pathogens are not represented in humans, other mammals, or plants, and therefore the immune systems of animals and plants have evolved to recognize many of the conserved elements of fungal walls. For similar reasons the enzymes that assemble fungal cell wall components are excellent targets for antifungal chemotherapies and fungicides. However, for fungal pathogens, the cell wall is often disguised since key signature molecules for immune recognition are sometimes masked by immunologically inert molecules. Cell wall damage leads to the activation of sophisticated fail-safe mechanisms that shore up and repair walls to avoid catastrophic breaching of the integrity of the surface. The frontiers of research on fungal cell walls are moving from a descriptive phase defining the underlying genes and component parts of fungal walls to more dynamic analyses of how the various components are assembled, cross-linked, and modified in response to environmental signals. This review therefore discusses recent advances in research investigating the composition, synthesis, and regulation of cell walls and how the cell wall is targeted by immune recognition systems and the design of antifungal diagnostics and therapeutics.