A DONOR-DEPENDENT SUBSET OF CYTOKINE-INDUCED KILLER (CIK) CELLS EXPRESS CD16 AND CAN BE RETARGETED TO EXERT A POTENT ANTIBODY-DEPENDENT CELL-MEDIATED CYTOTOXICITY (ADCC)

Cancer adoptive cell therapy (ACT) relies on the infusion of immune cell populations mediating direct antitumor effects, such as cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes (CTL), natural killer (NK) cells and Cytokine-Induced Killer (CIK) cells. In this study, we aimed at improving CIK cell potential for adoptive immunotherapy strategies. CIK cells are a heterogeneous population of ex vivo expanded lymphocytes, which share phenotypic and functional features with both NK and T cells. They exert a potent MHC-independent antitumor activity against both hematological and solid malignancies, but not normal tissues and hematopoietic precursors. Several clinical trials have demonstrated the feasibility and the therapeutic efficacy together with low toxicity of CIK cells infusion, supporting CIK cells as a very promising cell population for adoptive immunotherapy. In this work, CIK cells were obtained from PBMCs of healthy donors by the timed addition of IFN-γ, anti-CD3 antibody and IL-2. Analyzing their phenotype, we demonstrated for the first time a relevant expression of CD16 in a donor-dependent manner and, based on this observation, we proved the ability of CIK cells to kill tumors by an Antibody-Dependent Cell-mediated Cytotoxicity (ADCC) mechanism. Indeed, the concurrent administration of clinically therapeutic mAbs, such as trastuzumab or cetuximab, led to a significant improvement of their antitumor activity in vitro against both ovarian and breast cancer cell lines. To formally prove that the CD16 receptor is functional and directly involved in the ADCC, an anti-CD16 blocking antibody was added to the assays. NK cell depletion from bulk cultures confirmed that the ADCC activity is accountable to the CIK CD16+ subpopulation. This novel function of CIK cells, never exploited before, was assessed for therapeutic efficacy in mouse models of human ovarian carcinoma xenografted in NOD/SCID common γ chain knockout (NSG) mice. Co-administration of CIK cells and mAbs significantly increased the survival of tumor-bearing mice, as compared to animals receiving CIK cells alone. CIK cell antitumor activity in vitro was also enhanced by the combination with bispecific antibodies and immunoligands, which are able to target both a tumor-associated antigen and activating receptors expressed by effector cells. Taken together, these data envisage new perspectives for adoptive immunotherapy where antigen-specific retargeting of T cells can be achieved by a combination therapy with clinical-grade monoclonal antibodies already widely used in cancer therapy, and CIK cell populations that are easily expandable in very large numbers, inexpensive, safe and do not require genetic manipulations. In conclusion, this new therapeutic strategy for the ACT treatment of different types of tumors could find wide implementation and application, and be expanded to the use of additional therapeutic antibodies

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Avaliação da atividade imunológica In vitro de Alchornea ssp quanto à produção de peróxido de hidrogênio, óxido nítrico e fator de necrose tumoral-alfa por macrófagos murinos

The use of natural resources as treatment and healing for diseases is as old as the human species. However, most of all plant species were not investigated chemistry or biologically. Many plants used in the traditional medicine modulate the immunological response. The immune system is a remarkably adaptive defense system that has evolved in vertebrates to protect them from invading pathogenic microorganisms and cancer. Macrophages play an important role in this system because they are cells capable to secrete many biological active products such as reactive nitrogen and oxygen species and cytokines. In this work, methanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction obtained from Alchornea triplinervia and Alchornea glandulosa were studied in the murine immune system using peritoneal macrophages cultures from Swiss mice. Cell viability assays were realized to assure the experimental development. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitric oxide (NO) were determined by espectrophotometric procedures and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) The ability of methanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction to stimulate or inhibit the murine immune system was evaluated. These plants didn't show immunostimulating properties, once liberation of H2O2, NO and TNF-α were not observed. However, extracts and fractions from both plants, strongly inhibited NO and H2O2 production induced by LPS and PMA, respectively. Production of TNF-α by LPS-stimulated macrophages was partially inhibited. The concentration of 15,62αg/mL from A. triplinervia methanolic extract (cellular viability > 95%) showed to inhibit 88,35% of H2O2, 52,54% of NO and 10,41% of TNF-α production. The ethyl acetate fraction of the same plant and concentration (cellular viability > 90%), inhibited 72,25% of H2O2, 47,80% of NO and 16,41% of TNF-α production. Regarding the A. glandulosa methanolic extract...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Avaliação da atividade antiinflamatória, antitumoral e antiangiogênica de compostos isolados da planta Alchornea glandulosa e de fungos endofíticos a ela relacionados

Produtos naturais têm contribuído intensamente para o desenvolvimento da terapêutica moderna. As plantas produzem um vasto número de substâncias, que em estado natural ou após sofrerem transformações químicas, possuem diversas atividades farmacológicas. Fungos endofíticos, organismos que vivem no interior das plantas, também podem representar novas fontes de produtos biologicamente ativos. Atualmente, a relação causal entre inflamação, imunidade inata e câncer é largamente aceita. O envolvimento de mediadores inflamatórios, como óxido nítrico (NO) e citocinas, gerados por macrófagos ativados, na patogênese das doenças inflamatórias já está bem estabelecido. Além disso, a inibição da angiogênese tem sido reconhecida como uma promissora abordagem terapêutica para o controle do crescimento tumoral, das metástases e das doenças inflamatórias crônicas. Alchornea glandulosa Poepp & Endl. (Euphorbiaceae) é uma planta com conhecida atividade antiinflamatória que está distribuída do sudeste ao sul do Brasil, principalmente na Mata Atlântica e no Cerrado. O potencial antiinflamatório, antitumoral e antiangiogênico dos compostos obtidos a partir da planta (fração acetato de etila e os compostos puros isoquercitrina, afzelina, ácido gálico, pteroginina e pteroginidina) e de fungos endofíticos presentes no interior das suas folhas (extratos acetato de etila ALG-A, ALG-02 e ALG-03) foram estudados por meio de experimentos utilizando-se culturas de macrófagos murinos, linhagens tumorais murinas de câncer de mama (LM2) e pulmão (LP07) e culturas de células endoteliais de veia umbilical humana (HUVEC). Ensaios de determinação de óxido nítrico (reagente de Griess), citocinas pró-inflamatórias TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 e IL-12 (ELISA), atividade citotóxica (MTT) e avaliação da taxa de inibição do crescimento de tumores tratados com injeção...Natural products have contributed enormously to the development of important therapeutic drugs used currently in modern medicine. Plants produce a vast number of compounds that, either directly or after chemical modifications, exert pharmacological activities. Endophytic fungi, organisms which live in plants, are also being recognized as new sources of biological active substances. Nowadays, the relationship among inflammation, innate immunity and cancer are widely accepted. Inflammatory mediators as nitric oxide (NO) and cytokines produced by activated macrophages are involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. Besides that, angiogenesis inhibition has been accepted as a promising therapy for the control of tumor growth, metastasis and also chronic inflammatory conditions. Alchornea glandulosa Poepp & Endl. (Euphorbiaceae) is a plant that demonstrates anti-inflammatory activity. It can be found in Brazil, distributed from southeast to south, mainly in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado. The anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antiangiogenic potential of the compounds obtained from this plant (ethyl acetate fraction and the pure compounds isoquercitrin, afzelin, gallic acid, pterogynine and pterogynidine) and from the endophytic fungi present in its leaves (ALG-A, ALG-02 and ALG-03 ethyl acetate extracts) were studied using macrophage cultures, tumor cell lines (LM2 and LP07) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). To evaluate anti-inflammatory and antitumor activity, in vitro assays were utilized to determine NO (Griess reagent), TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-12 proinflammatory cytokines (ELISA) and cytotoxicity (MTT). Tumor growth inhibition rate was also studied in vivo. Apoptosis (TUNEL assay), proliferation (bromodeoxiuridine – BrdU), invasion (double-chamber assay), capillary-like structures formation (matrigel) and NFκB activity (ELISA) were realized to study... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

In Vitro And In Vivo Anti-angiogenic Effects Of Hydroxyurea.

Hydroxyurea (HU), or hydroxycarbamide, is used for the treatment of some myeloproliferative and neoplastic diseases, and is currently the only drug approved by the FDA for use in sickle cell disease (SCD). Despite the relative success of HU therapy for SCD, a genetic disorder of the hemoglobin β chain that results in red-cell sickling, hemolysis, vascular inflammation and recurrent vasoocclusion, the exact mechanisms by which HU actuates remain unclear. We hypothesized that HU may modulate endothelial angiogenic processes, with important consequences for vascular inflammation. The effects of HU (50-200 μM; 17-24 h) on endothelial cell functions associated with key steps of angiogenesis were evaluated using human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) cultures. Expression profiles of the HIF1A gene and the miRNAs 221 and 222, involved in endothelial function, were also determined in HUVECs following HU administration and the direct in vivo antiangiogenic effects of HU were assessed using a mouse Matrigel-plug neovascularization assay. Following incubation with HU, HUVECs exhibited high cell viability, but displayed a significant 75% inhibition in the rate of capillary-like-structure formation, and significant decreases in proliferative and invasive capacities. Furthermore, HU significantly decreased HIF1A expression, and induced the expression of miRNA 221, while downregulating miRNA 222. In vivo, HU reduced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced vascular development in Matrigel implants over 7 days. Findings indicate that HU is able to inhibit vessel assembly, a crucial angiogenic process, both in vitro and in vivo, and suggest that some of HU's therapeutic effects may occur through novel vascular mechanisms.94106-1