The role of CD4+ T cells in tumor and chronic viral immune responses

Combinational delivery of TLR4 and TLR7/8 agonist enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors to colon tumor

Immunotherapy is regarded as a potent cancer treatment, with DC vaccines playing a crucial role. Although clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of DC vaccines, loading antigens in vitro is challenging, and their therapeutic effects remain unpredictable. Moreover, the diverse subtypes and maturity states of DCs in the body could induce both immune responses and immune tolerance, potentially affecting the vaccine's efficacy. Hence, the optimization of DC vaccines remains imperative. Our study discovered a new therapeutic strategy by using CT26 and MC38 mouse colon cancer models, as well as LLC mouse lung cancer models. The strategy involved the synergistic activation of DCs through intertumoral administration of TLR4 agonist high-mobility group nucleosome binding protein 1 (HMGN1) and TLR7/8 agonist (R848/resiquimod), combined with intraperitoneal administration of TNFR2 immunosuppressant antibody. The experimental results indicated that the combined use of HMGN1, R848, and α-TNFR2 had no effect on LLC cold tumors. However, it was effective in eradicating CT26 and MC38 colon cancer and inducing long-term immune memory. The combination of these three drugs altered the TME and promoted an increase in anti-tumor immune components. This may provide a promising new treatment strategy for colon cancer.

Development of a prognostic gene signature and exploration of P4HA1 in the modulation of cuproptosis in colorectal cancer

Cuproptosis, a newly identified form of cell death, has drawn increasing attention for its association with various cancers, though its specific role in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. In this study, transcriptomic and clinical data from CRC patients available in the TCGA database were analyzed to investigate the impact of cuproptosis. Differentially expressed genes linked to cuproptosis were identified using Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA). Key genes were further refined through LASSO regression and random forest approaches, culminating in the development of a prognostic model comprising six critical genes. The predictive accuracy of the model was validated using two independent external datasets. This model effectively stratified patients into high- and low-risk groups, which exhibited significant differences in disease stage, immune landscape, tumor mutational burden, and therapeutic response, underscoring the robustness of the model. P4HA1 was identified as a key gene of interest, where downregulation was found to inhibit tumor progression in single-cell sequencing analyses and in vitro experiments. Additionally, suppression of P4HA1 enhanced the sensitivity of CRC cells to the cuproptosis inducer elesclomol (ES), potentially through oxidative stress mechanisms. In conclusion, this study proposes a prognostic model based on six cuproptosis-related genes that could aid in personalizing CRC treatment. Furthermore, P4HA1 emerges as a promising therapeutic target.

Telomerase-based vaccines: a promising frontier in cancer immunotherapy

Telomerase, an enzyme crucial for maintaining telomere length, plays a critical role in cellular immortality and is overexpressed in most cancers. This ubiquitous presence makes telomerase, and specifically its catalytic subunit, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy. This review explores the development and application of telomerase-based vaccines, focusing on DNA and peptide-based approaches. While DNA vaccines demonstrate promising immunogenicity, peptide vaccines, such as UV1, UCPVax, and Vx-001, have shown clinical efficacy in certain cancer types. Recent advancements in vaccine design, including multiple peptides and adjuvants, have enhanced immune responses. However, challenges remain in achieving consistent and durable anti-tumor immunity. Accordingly, we discuss the mechanisms of action, preclinical and clinical data, and the potential of these vaccines to elicit robust and durable anti-tumor immune responses. This review highlights the potential of telomerase-based vaccines as a promising strategy for cancer treatment and identifies areas for future research.

Dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) mutation impairs the differentiation of helper T cells by regulating the glycolytic pathway of CD4+ T cells

Dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) deficiency is a primary immunodeficiency disease caused by mutations in exon 45 of the DOCK8 gene. The clinical signs primarily consist of increased serum IgE levels, eczema, repeated skin infections, allergies, and upper respiratory tract infections. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we generated a DOCK8 exon 45 mutation in mice, mirroring the mutation found in patients. The results indicated that DOCK8 mutation impairs peripheral T cell homeostasis, disrupts regulatory T cells (Tregs) development, increases ICOS expression in Tregs within peripheral lymph nodes (pLn), and promotes Th17 cell differentiation within the spleen and pLn. Upon virus infection, DOCK8 mutation CD4+ T cells have a Th2 effector fate. RNA-bulk sequencing data revealed alternations in the mTOR pathway of DOCK8 mutant CD4+ T cells. We observed that DOCK8 mutation upregulates the glycolysis levels in CD4+ T cells, which is related to the Akt/mTOR/S6/HIF-1α pathway. In summary, our research elucidates that DOCK8 regulates the differentiation of helper T cells by modulating the glycolytic pathway in CD4+ T cells, thereby advancing the comprehension and offering potential treatment of diseases in DOCK8-deficient patients.

Effects of fermented Crescentia cujete L. on the profile of hematology, clinical chemistry, and circulatory CD4+/CD8+ in Sprague Dawley rats

Background

The calabash (Crescentia cujete L.) is a tropical fruit that offers numerous health benefits. Its fermented calabash (FC) has been found to affect the neurological system positively. However, its impact on hematology, clinical chemistry, and CD4+ and CD8+ levels has yet to be documented.

Aim

Therefore, this study aims to examine the effects of FC on hematology, clinical chemistry, and the levels of CD4+ and CD8+ in the circulatory system using rat models.

Methods

This study used twenty male Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were divided into group 1 (0 mg/kg BW FC), group 2 (50 mg/kg BW FC), group 3 (500 mg/kg BW FC), and group 4 (2,000 mg/kg BW FC). The treatment was administered using a gastric probe once daily for 14 days. On day 15, the blood samples were collected and tested against hematology, clinical chemistry, quality of the erythrocytes, and CD4+/CD8+. The data were then analysed using SPSS with p-value at 0.05.

Results

The conducted study demonstrated that the utilization of FC at varying doses did not have a significant impact on the hematological profile changes (p ≥ 0.05), except for total lymphocytes and a decrease in the neutrophils/lymphocytes (N/L) ratio (p ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, FC did not influence the changes in clinical chemistry, circulatory protein, and electrolyte levels in rat models compared to the control (p ≥ 0.05). The utilization of FC decreased the percentage of hemolysis and elevated the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration (p ≤ 0.05). Additionally, the use of FC led to a significant increase in CD4+ and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ (p ≤ 0.05), while no significant effect was observed regarding CD8+ (p ≥ 0.05).

Conclusion

The study highlighted FC's beneficial effects on the haemorheology and immune system, specifically on the decrease in the percentage of hemolysis, elevated ATP concentration, number of lymphocytes, ratio N/L, CD4+, and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, without causing significant changes to the hematological and clinical chemistry profiles in rat models.

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines: The Advantage of Mucosal Vaccine Delivery and Local Immunity

Immunity against respiratory pathogens is often short-term, and, consequently, there is an unmet need for the effective prevention of such infections. One such infectious disease is coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), which is caused by the novel Beta coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that emerged around the end of 2019. The World Health Organization declared the illness a pandemic on 11 March 2020, and since then it has killed or sickened millions of people globally. The development of COVID-19 systemic vaccines, which impressively led to a significant reduction in disease severity, hospitalization, and mortality, contained the pandemic's expansion. However, these vaccines have not been able to stop the virus from spreading because of the restricted development of mucosal immunity. As a result, breakthrough infections have frequently occurred, and new strains of the virus have been emerging. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 will likely continue to circulate and, like the influenza virus, co-exist with humans. The upper respiratory tract and nasal cavity are the primary sites of SARS-CoV-2 infection and, thus, a mucosal/nasal vaccination to induce a mucosal response and stop the virus' transmission is warranted. In this review, we present the status of the systemic vaccines, both the approved mucosal vaccines and those under evaluation in clinical trials. Furthermore, we present our approach of a B-cell peptide-based vaccination applied by a prime-boost schedule to elicit both systemic and mucosal immunity.

Immunological alterations in patients with current and lifetime suicide ideation and attempts: Examining the relationship with depressive symptoms

Background

Suicidal ideation and attempt (SI/SA) have been associated with dysregulation of the immune response and inflammation. However, few studies have explored how innate and acquired cellular immunity impact on the peripheral immune response. Our study addresses this gap by examining the composition of peripheral immune cells and humoral markers among individuals with current SI/SA, individuals with a history of SI/SA, and healthy controls (HC). Additionally, we aim to explore whether depressive symptoms settle the relationship between inflammation and SI/SA.

Methods

This is a multicenter case-control study that included 105 participants. Clinical and demographic characterists together with hemogram parameters, soluble pro and anti-inflamatory factors, and specific innate and adaptive immune cell populations were compared among patients with current SI/SA (n = 21), a history of lifetime SI/SA (n = 42), and HC (n = 42).

Results

Patients with both current and lifetime SI/SA had a significant increase in the absolute count of monocytes and in the monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR). Additionally, patients with current and lifetime SI/SA showed a significant increase in high-sensitivity C- reactive protein (hs-CRP), and patients with lifetime SI/SA also showed higher levels of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR). The cellular inflammatory status of patients with SI/SA was characterized by altered proportions of monocytes with higher levels of nonclassical and intermediate monocytes. No differences were observed in the number of lymphocytes and the proportion of CD4 and CD8 between patients and HC, but we found differences in markers of exhaustion of CD4 lymphocytes, with increased levels of Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) in Current SI/SA and Lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3) in Current SI/SA and Lifetime SI/SA compared to HC. The plasmainflammatory status was marked by higher levels of soluble Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2) in patients with lifetime SI/SA compared to HC. Finally, the multinomial analysis indicates that inflammation and depressive symptoms are independently associated with SI/SA.

Conclusion

This study highlights the association of immunological alterations with SI/SA. Furthremore, SI/SA is independently influenced by depressive symptoms and inflammation. This may have important therapeutic implications, as in these patients, it may be necessary to treat the inflammatory process beyond treating the depressive symptoms.

New Immunological Markers in Chromoblastomycosis-The Importance of PD-1 and PD-L1 Molecules in Human Infection

The pathogenesis of chromoblastomycosis (CBM) is associated with Th2 and/or T regulatory immune responses, while resistance is associated with a Th1 response. However, even in the presence of IFN-γ, fungi persist in the lesions, and the reason for this persistence is unknown. To clarify the factors associated with pathogenesis, this study aimed to determine the polarization of the cellular immune response and the densities of cells that express markers of exhaustion in the skin of CBM patients. In the skin of patients with CBM, a moderate inflammatory infiltrate was observed, characterized primarily by the occurrence of histiocytes. Analysis of fungal density allowed us to divide patients into groups that exhibited low and high fungal densities; however, the intensity of the inflammatory response was not related to mycotic loads. Furthermore, patients with CBM exhibited a significant increase in the number of CD4+ and CD8+ cells associated with a high density of IL-10-, IL-17-, and IFN-γ-producing cells, indicating the presence of a chronic and mixed cellular immune response, which was also independent of fungal load. A significant increase in the number of PD-1+ and PD-L1+ cells was observed, which may be associated with the maintenance of the fungus in the skin and the progression of the disease.