SOJ Immunology

3

Authors: Robert L. Elliott

Renewed interest in cancer immunotherapy has emerged by the introduction of targeted monoclonal antibodies and checkpoint blockade inhibitors. Adaptive cancer immunotherapy will be much more effective by a combination approach. A limiting factor is the multitude of tumor immunosuppressive factors. A neglected molecule is HLA-G antigen expression by malignant cells; which allows the escape of tumor cells from Natural Killer Cell (NK) and cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell destruction. Though much has been published about HLA-G as a cancer immunosuppressant molecule, little has been done to attack HLA-G as a cancer therapeutic target. In this review, we hope to stimulate researchers to investigate the role of HLA-G as a therapeutic target of cancer Immunosuppression

4

Authors: Michala Kolarova

Abstract Aims: Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by extracellular inclusions of beta-amyloid peptide. This peptide interacts with neuronal receptors in the human brain such as neurotrophin receptor P75 and neuronal acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α7-type and pulls them down into plaques. Degraded receptors may introduce new antigenic epitopes to be recognized by specific antibodies in AD patients. The aim of the present work was to estimate the levels of the naturally occurring antibodies against two peptides derived from neuronal receptors –P75 and α7-type nAChR in sera of patients with different cognitive impairment. Methods: We have used short fragments from the extracellular part of each receptor that participates in the interaction with betaamyloid peptide, and measured levels of antibodies against them in the serum of different groups of patients (n = 74) by ELISA. Results and Conclusion: We found antibodies against the fragment of P75 receptor only. These levels tend to be higher in patients with mild cognitive impairment. This study provides findings suggesting the immunologic response to neurotrophin receptor P75 in cognitively impaired subjects. Keywords: Neuronal receptors; Peptides; Beta-amyloid; Serum antibodies; Alzheimer‘s disease; Cognitive impairment

5

Authors: George I. Eluwa, Adebobola Bashorun, Emmanuel Abata, Ogboi S. Johnbull

Background: Studies have focused on the type of filter paper to be used in sample collection for national surveys with optimum care in minimizing errors in field implementation among health personnel. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the HIV antigen/ antibody results of different dried blood spot collection devices. Methods: Dried blood spots were collected from key populations on both conventional DBS cards and HemaSpot™ which both used Munktell TFN (M-TFN) filter paper. Samples from the DBS cards were tested on HIV ELISA analysis using Vironostika 4th Generation ELISA assay. Bland-Altman analysis was used to measure limit level of agreement. Results: The overall sero-positivity of HIV rapid test, conventional DBS card and HemaSpot™ was 7%, 67% and 29% respectively. Of the 96 samples accepted and tested with the assay, concordance between conventional DBS cards and HemaSpot™ was 46.9% (n = 45). Concordance between rapid test and conventional DBS card was 39.5% (n = 34) while between rapid test and HemaSpot™ was 75.6% (n = 65). Bland-Altman analysis showed poor agreement between both DBS collection devices with a mean of 0.149 and a standard deviation of 0.641, which yields a limit of agreement of -0.717 to 1.847. C onclusion: Concordance with rapid test was higher with HemaSpot™ (76%) compared to conventional DBS card (40%). As both devices used the same filter paper, it is unlikely that the increase in sero-positivity in conventional DBS card and HemaSpot™ is exclusive to new infections identified by the antigenic capability of the ELISA kit. However, the high level of discordance of results, especially between rapid test and conventional DBS card calls for further research and necessitates a more rigorous quality control in sample collection.

9

Authors: John S. Thompson, Debra L. Hardin, Judy F. Glass, Joshua Dziba, Jeffrey Campion and Stephen A. Brown

We have previously reported that GR-1 neutrophil/monocytes rose dramatically in the spleen, peaked by day 7 and declined through day 14. This period corresponded to the peak of acute Graft-Versus Host Disease (aGVHD) in BALB/c mice transplanted with allogeneic donor cells. We now asked: what cytokines did these splenic neutrophil/monocytes express on day 7 and 14 post transplant? BALB/c mice were transplanted with allogeneic B6 or syngeneic BALB/c donor cells. Long term survival was recorded through day 31. Other groups were sacrificed on days 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 and 31 days post transplant to record the total number of cells in the spleens and their phenotypes. Neutrophils were isolated from the spleens of mice transplanted with B6 and BALB/c cells on days 7 and 14. Daily body weight demonstrated a transient drop in the syngeneic transplants on day 2 but a much greater drop with its nadir at day 7 and never fully recovering through 31 days. CD8/CD4 T lymphocytes peaked in the spleen on day 5 and were followed on day 7 by GR-I cells in all of the allogeneic transplants. In syngeneic transplants this early rise in lymphocytes did not occur and GR-1 cells peaked on day 14. Highly purified neutrophils were isolated in two separate experiments from the spleens on days 7 and 14 post transplant. In both experiments day 7 allogeneic neutrophils expressed significantly elevated levels of Interleukin -21 (IL-21) mRNA whereas the day 7 and 14 syngeneic cells expressed lower but significant levels of TNFa. Intracellular IL-21 was demonstrated in the allogeneic neutrophils on day 7 before and after in vitro stimulation. In conclusion Purified neutrophils isolated from the spleen on day 7, the early peak of allogeneic transplantation a GVHD, express high levels of IL-21 message and intracellular IL-21.

13

Authors: Acevedo R

Abstract On June 14-19, 2015, the IUPHAR Section of Immunopharmacology and the Cuban Society of Pharmacology, together with the LatinAmerican Association of Pharmacology (ALF), Finlay Vaccine Institute and other prestigious Cuban scientific institutions, organized the Congress VACCIPHARMA 2015 (3rd International Congress on Pharmacology of Vaccines), held as part of the First International Convention IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY–VACCIPHARMA 2015 (Meliá Marina Varadero Hotel, in Varadero beach, Cuba) VACCIPHARMA 2015 was organised into two large Workshops, addressing topics related to the research, development, clinical evaluation, production and quality control of Therapeutic and Prophylactic Vaccines, respectively. At the same time the Workshop on Prophylactic Vaccines was integrated by several Symposiums, focused on meningococcal, pneumococcal, enteric, tuberculosis and pertussis vaccines. About 250 delegates, including 100 international researchers from 15 countries, attended this meeting. The Congress had a remarkable Opening Session, with a Key Lecture given by the outstanding scientist Professor Dr. Shiv Pillai (United States of America), who talked about the changing views in the field of the immunology of vaccination and the challenges ahead. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the main topics discussed in the Prophylactic Vaccines Workshop, not as a complete narration of the events, but to provide an update of the latest state of the art and methodologies being applied to prophylactic vaccines with an expert commentary on the invited speakers. Keywords: Vaccine; Neissseria meningitidi;, Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Combined vaccines; Enteric Vaccines; Pneumococcal Vaccines; Bordetella pertussis; Salmonella Typhi;