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Kumar V, Mahato RI. Natural killer cells for pancreatic cancer immunotherapy: Role of nanoparticles. Cancer Lett 2023; 579:216462. [PMID: 37924937 PMCID: PMC10842153 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Advanced pancreatic cancer patients have a dismal prognosis despite advances in integrative therapy. The field of tumor immunology has witnessed significant advancements for cancer treatment. However, immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer is not very effective due to its highly complex tumor microenvironment (TME). Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes that play an important role in the innate immune system. NK cells do not require antigen pre-sensitization, nor are they confined by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). NK cells have the potential to eliminate cancer cells through CAR-dependent and CAR-independent pathways, demonstrating reduced levels of systemic toxicity in the process. The availability of several potential sources of NK cells is an additional benefit that contributes to meeting the therapeutic criteria. Adding nanotechnology to enhance the functions of effector NK cells is also an appealing strategy. This article primarily discusses various approaches recently been utilized to enhance the NK functions for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. In addition, new advances in boosting NK cell therapeutic efficacy by nanoparticle mediation are presented, with a focus on pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virender Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Ram I Mahato
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.
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2
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Salinas SA, Mace EM, Conte MI, Park CS, Li Y, Rosario-Sepulveda JI, Mahapatra S, Moore EK, Hernandez ER, Chinn IK, Reed AE, Lee BJ, Frumovitz A, Gibbs RA, Posey JE, Forbes Satter LR, Thatayatikom A, Allenspach EJ, Wensel TG, Lupski JR, Lacorazza HD, Orange JS. An ELF4 hypomorphic variant results in NK cell deficiency. JCI Insight 2022; 7:e155481. [PMID: 36477361 PMCID: PMC9746917 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.155481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
NK cell deficiencies (NKD) are a type of primary immune deficiency in which the major immunologic abnormality affects NK cell number, maturity, or function. Since NK cells contribute to immune defense against virally infected cells, patients with NKD experience higher susceptibility to chronic, recurrent, and fatal viral infections. An individual with recurrent viral infections and mild hypogammaglobulinemia was identified to have an X-linked damaging variant in the transcription factor gene ELF4. The variant does not decrease expression but disrupts ELF4 protein interactions and DNA binding, reducing transcriptional activation of target genes and selectively impairing ELF4 function. Corroborating previous murine models of ELF4 deficiency (Elf4-/-) and using a knockdown human NK cell line, we determined that ELF4 is necessary for normal NK cell development, terminal maturation, and function. Through characterization of the NK cells of the proband, expression of the proband's variant in Elf4-/- mouse hematopoietic precursor cells, and a human in vitro NK cell maturation model, we established this ELF4 variant as a potentially novel cause of NKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Andrea Salinas
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Emily M. Mace
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Matilde I. Conte
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Yu Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Sanjana Mahapatra
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Emily K. Moore
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Evelyn R. Hernandez
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ivan K. Chinn
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Abigail E. Reed
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Barclay J. Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alexander Frumovitz
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Richard A. Gibbs
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, and
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Lisa R. Forbes Satter
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Akaluck Thatayatikom
- Division of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, Shands Children’s Hospital, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Eric J. Allenspach
- Division of Immunology, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - James R. Lupski
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, and
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Jordan S. Orange
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
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3
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Uddin MB, Roy KR, Hill RA, Roy SC, Gu X, Li L, Zhang QJ, You Z, Liu YY. p53 missense mutant G242A subverts natural killer cells in sheltering mouse breast cancer cells against immune rejection. Exp Cell Res 2022; 417:113210. [PMID: 35597298 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2022.113210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Cancer cells acquire immunoediting ability to evade immune surveillance and thus escape eradication. It is widely known that mutant proteins encoded from tumor suppressor TP53 exhibit gain-of-function in cancer cells, thereby promoting progression; however, how mutant p53 contributes to the sheltering of cancer cells from host anticancer immunity remains unclear. Herein, we report that murine p53 missense mutation G242A (corresponding to human G245A) suppresses the activation of host natural killer (NK) cells, thereby enabling breast cancer cells to avoid immune assault. We found that serial injection of EMT6 breast cancer cells that carry wild-type (wt) Trp53, like normal fibroblasts, promoted NK activity in mice, while SVTneg2 cells carrying Trp53 G242A+/+ mutation decreased NK cell numbers and increased CD8+ T lymphocyte numbers in spleen. Innate immunity based on NK cells and CD8 T cells was reduced in p53 mutant-carrying transgenic mice (Trp53 R172H/+, corresponding to human R175H/+). Further, upon co-culture with isolated NK cells, EMT6 cells substantively activated NK cells and proliferation thereof, increasing interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production; however, SVTneg2 cells suppressed NK cell activation. Further mechanistic study elucidated that p53 can modulate expression by cancer cells of Mult-1 and H60a, which are activating and inhibitory ligands for NKG2D receptors of NK cells, respectively, to enhance immune surveillance against cancer. Our findings demonstrate that wt p53 is requisite for NK cell-based immune recognition and elimination of cancerous cells, and perhaps more importantly, that p53 missense mutant presence in cancer cells impairs NK cell-attributable responses, thus veiling cancerous cells from host immunity and enabling cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad B Uddin
- School of Basic Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA, USA
| | - Kartik R Roy
- School of Basic Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA, USA
| | - Ronald A Hill
- School of Basic Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA, USA
| | - Sagor C Roy
- School of Basic Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA, USA
| | - Xin Gu
- Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Li Li
- Laboratory of Translational Cancer Research, Tom & Gayle Benson Cancer Center, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Qian-Jin Zhang
- Department of Biology, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Zongbing You
- Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Yong-Yu Liu
- School of Basic Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA, USA.
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Fincham REA, Delvecchio FR, Goulart MR, Yeong JPS, Kocher HM. Natural killer cells in pancreatic cancer stroma. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27:3483-3501. [PMID: 34239264 PMCID: PMC8240050 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i24.3483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains one of medicine's largest areas of unmet need. With five-year survival rates of < 8%, little improvement has been made in the last 50 years. Typically presenting with advance stage disease, treatment options are limited. To date, surgery remains the only potentially curative option, however, with such late disease presentation, the majority of patients are unresectable. Thus, new therapeutic options and a greater understanding of the complex stromal interactions within the tumour microenvironment are sorely needed to revise the dismal outlook for pancreatic cancer patients. Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial effector units in cancer immunosurveillance. Often used as a prognostic biomarker in a range of malignancies, NK cells have received much attention as an attractive target for immunotherapies, both as cell therapy and as a pharmaceutical target. Despite this interest, the role of NK cells in pancreatic cancer remains poorly defined. Nevertheless, increasing evidence of the importance of NK cells in this dismal prognosis disease is beginning to come to light. Here, we review the role of NK cells in pancreatic cancer, examine the complex interactions of these crucial effector units within pancreatic cancer stroma and shed light on the increasingly attractive use of NK cells as therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Elizabeth Ann Fincham
- Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Romana Delvecchio
- Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle R Goulart
- Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
| | - Joe Poe Sheng Yeong
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Hemant M Kocher
- Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute-CRUK Centre of Excellence, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, United Kingdom
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Lam MT, Mace EM, Orange JS. A research-driven approach to the identification of novel natural killer cell deficiencies affecting cytotoxic function. Blood 2020; 135:629-637. [PMID: 31945148 PMCID: PMC7046607 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2019000925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer cell deficiencies (NKDs) are an emerging phenotypic subtype of primary immune deficiency. NK cells provide a defense against virally infected cells using a variety of cytotoxic mechanisms, and patients who have defective NK cell development or function can present with atypical, recurrent, or severe herpesviral infections. The current pipeline for investigating NKDs involves the acquisition and clinical assessment of patients with a suspected NKD followed by subsequent in silico, in vitro, and in vivo laboratory research. Evaluation involves initially quantifying NK cells and measuring NK cell cytotoxicity and expression of certain NK cell receptors involved in NK cell development and function. Subsequent studies using genomic methods to identify the potential causative variant are conducted along with variant impact testing to make genotype-phenotype connections. Identification of novel genes contributing to the NKD phenotype can also be facilitated by applying the expanding knowledge of NK cell biology. In this review, we discuss how NKDs that affect NK cell cytotoxicity can be approached in the clinic and laboratory for the discovery of novel gene variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael T Lam
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY; and
- Medical Scientist Training Program, and
- Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Emily M Mace
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY; and
| | - Jordan S Orange
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY; and
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Wang Y, Wang J, Wu X, Jiang Z, Wang W. Dielectrophoretic separation of microalgae cells in ballast water in a microfluidic chip. Electrophoresis 2018; 40:969-978. [DOI: 10.1002/elps.201800302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yanjuan Wang
- College of Information Science and Technology; Dalian Maritime University; Dalian P. R. China
- Software Institute; Dalian Jiaotong University; Dalian P. R. China
| | - Junsheng Wang
- College of Information Science and Technology; Dalian Maritime University; Dalian P. R. China
| | - Xudong Wu
- Jiangsu Jimbio Tech.; Changzhou P. R. China
| | - Zong Jiang
- College of Information Science and Technology; Dalian Maritime University; Dalian P. R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- College of Information Science and Technology; Dalian Maritime University; Dalian P. R. China
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Maw MM, Pan X, Peng Z, Wang Y, Zhao L, Dai B, Wang J. A Changeable Lab-on-a-Chip Detector for Marine Nonindigenous Microorganisms in Ship's Ballast Water. MICROMACHINES 2018; 9:E20. [PMID: 30393297 PMCID: PMC6187694 DOI: 10.3390/mi9010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 12/31/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The spread and invasion of many nonindigenous species in the ship's ballast water around the world has been a hazard and threat to ecology, economy, and human health. The rapid and accurate detection of marine invasive species in ship's ballast water is essential. This article is aimed at analysing ballast water quality by means of a changeable microfluidic chip detector thus comply with the D-2 standard of ship's ballast water management and sediment convention. The detection system was designed through the integration of microfluidic chip technology, the impedance pulse sensing and LED light induced chlorophyll fluorescence (LED-LICF) detection. This system can measure the number, size, shape, and volume of targeted microorganisms, and it can also determine the chlorophyll fluorescence intensity, which is an important factor in analysing the activity of phytoplankton. The targeted samples were Chlorella volutis, Dunaliella salina, Platymonas subcordiformis, Chrysophytes, Escherichia coli, and Enterococci. The whole detection or operation can be accomplished through online detection in a few minutes with using micron volume of the sample solution. The valid data outputs are simultaneously displayed in terms of both impedance pulse amplitudes and fluorescent intensity signals. The detection system is designed for multi-sizes real time detection through changing the microchannel sizes on the microfluidic chip. Because it can successfully detect the label-free microorganisms, the system can be applicable to in-situ detections with some modifications to the system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myint Myint Maw
- College of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
| | - Xinxiang Pan
- College of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
| | - Zhen Peng
- College of Information and Science Technology, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
| | - Yanjuan Wang
- College of Information and Science Technology, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
| | - Long Zhao
- College of Information and Science Technology, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
| | - Bowen Dai
- College of Information and Science Technology, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
| | - Junsheng Wang
- College of Information and Science Technology, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China.
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Gangadaran P, Ahn BC. Molecular Imaging: A Useful Tool for the Development of Natural Killer Cell-Based Immunotherapies. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1090. [PMID: 28955332 PMCID: PMC5600950 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular imaging is a relatively new discipline that allows visualization, characterization, and measurement of the biological processes in living subjects, including humans, at a cellular and molecular level. The interaction between cancer cells and natural killer (NK) cells is complex and incompletely understood. Despite our limited knowledge, progress in the search for immune cell therapies against cancer could be significantly improved by dynamic and non-invasive visualization and tracking of immune cells and by visualization of the response of cancer cells to therapies in preclinical and clinical studies. Molecular imaging is an essential tool for these studies, and a multimodal molecular imaging approach can be applied to monitor immune cells in vivo, for instance, to visualize therapeutic effects. In this review, we discuss the usefulness of NK cells in cancer therapies and the preclinical and clinical usefulness of molecular imaging in NK cell-based therapies. Furthermore, we discuss different molecular imaging modalities for use with NK cell-based therapies, and their preclinical and clinical applications in animal and human subjects. Molecular imaging has contributed to the development of NK cell-based therapies against cancers in animal models and to the refinement of current cell-based cancer immunotherapies. Developing sensitive and reproducible non-invasive molecular imaging technologies for in vivo NK cell monitoring and for real-time assessment of therapeutic effects will accelerate the development of NK cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Gangadaran
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine and Hospital, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Byeong-Cheol Ahn
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine and Hospital, Daegu, South Korea
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Hsu HT, Mace EM, Carisey AF, Viswanath DI, Christakou AE, Wiklund M, Önfelt B, Orange JS. NK cells converge lytic granules to promote cytotoxicity and prevent bystander killing. J Cell Biol 2016; 215:875-889. [PMID: 27903610 PMCID: PMC5166499 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201604136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Revised: 09/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cell activation triggers sequential cellular events leading to destruction of diseased cells. We previously identified lytic granule convergence, a dynein- and integrin signal-dependent movement of lysosome-related organelles to the microtubule-organizing center, as an early step in the cell biological process underlying NK cell cytotoxicity. Why lytic granules converge during NK cell cytotoxicity, however, remains unclear. We experimentally controlled the availability of human ligands to regulate NK cell signaling and promote granule convergence with either directed or nondirected degranulation. By the use of acoustic trap microscopy, we generated specific effector-target cell arrangements to define the impact of the two modes of degranulation. NK cells with converged granules had greater targeted and less nonspecific "bystander" killing. Additionally, NK cells in which dynein was inhibited or integrin blocked under physiological conditions demonstrated increased nondirected degranulation and bystander killing. Thus, NK cells converge lytic granules and thereby improve the efficiency of targeted killing and prevent collateral damage to neighboring healthy cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiang-Ting Hsu
- Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
- Department of Pediatrics, Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Emily M Mace
- Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
- Department of Pediatrics, Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Alexandre F Carisey
- Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
- Department of Pediatrics, Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Dixita I Viswanath
- Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
- Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
| | - Athanasia E Christakou
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Wiklund
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Björn Önfelt
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jordan S Orange
- Center for Human Immunobiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
- Department of Pediatrics, Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
- Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
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