Dendritic Cells Exposed to MVA-Based HIV-1 Vaccine Induce Highly Functional HIV-1-Specific CD8+ T Cell Responses in HIV-1-Infected Individuals

Currently, MVA virus vectors carrying HIV-1 genes are being developed as HIV-1/AIDS prophylactic/therapeutic vaccines. Nevertheless, little is known about the impact of these vectors on human dendritic cells (DC) and their capacity to present HIV-1 antigens to human HIV-specific T cells. This study aimed to characterize the interaction of MVA and MVA expressing the HIV-1 genes Env-Gag-Pol-Nef of clade B (referred to as MVA-B) in human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDC) and the subsequent processes of HIV-1 antigen presentation and activation of memory HIV-1-specific T lymphocytes. For these purposes, we performed ex vivo assays with MDDC and autologous lymphocytes from asymptomatic HIV-infected patients. Infection of MDDC with MVA-B or MVA, at the optimal dose of 0.3 PFU/MDDC, induced by itself a moderate degree of maturation of MDDC, involving secretion of cytokines and chemokines (IL1-ra, IL-7, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-12, IL-15, IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, RANTES, IP-10, MIG, and IFN-α). MDDC infected with MVA or MVA-B and following a period of 48 h or 72 h of maturation were able to migrate toward CCL19 or CCL21 chemokine gradients. MVA-B infection induced apoptosis of the infected cells and the resulting apoptotic bodies were engulfed by the uninfected MDDC, which cross-presented HIV-1 antigens to autologous CD8+ T lymphocytes. MVA-B-infected MDDC co-cultured with autologous T lymphocytes induced a highly functional HIV-specific CD8+ T cell response including proliferation, secretion of IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α, MIP-1β, MIP-1α, RANTES and IL-6, and strong cytotoxic activity against autologous HIV-1-infected CD4+ T lymphocytes. These results evidence the adjuvant role of the vector itself (MVA) and support the clinical development of prophylactic and therapeutic anti-HIV vaccines based on MVA-B

New Insight on Human Type 1 Diabetes Biology: nPOD and nPOD-Transplantation

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Network for Pancreatic Organ Donors with Diabetes (JDRF nPOD) was established to obtain human pancreata and other tissues from organ donors with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in support of research focused on disease pathogenesis. Since 2007, nPOD has recovered tissues from over 100 T1D donors and distributed specimens to approximately 130 projects led by investigators worldwide. More recently, nPOD established a programmatic expansion that further links the transplantation world to nPOD, nPOD-Transplantation; this effort is pioneering novel approaches to extend the study of islet autoimmunity to the transplanted pancreas and to consent patients for postmortem organ donation directed towards diabetes research. Finally, nPOD actively fosters and coordinates collaborative research among nPOD investigators, with the formation of working groups and the application of team science approaches. Exciting findings are emerging from the collective work of nPOD investigators, which covers multiple aspects of islet autoimmunity and beta cell biology

The impact of surgical delay on resectability of colorectal cancer: An international prospective cohort study

AIM: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to explore the impact of surgical delays on cancer resectability. This study aimed to compare resectability for colorectal cancer patients undergoing delayed versus non-delayed surgery. METHODS: This was an international prospective cohort study of consecutive colorectal cancer patients with a decision for curative surgery (January-April 2020). Surgical delay was defined as an operation taking place more than 4 weeks after treatment decision, in a patient who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy. A subgroup analysis explored the effects of delay in elective patients only. The impact of longer delays was explored in a sensitivity analysis. The primary outcome was complete resection, defined as curative resection with an R0 margin. RESULTS: Overall, 5453 patients from 304 hospitals in 47 countries were included, of whom 6.6% (358/5453) did not receive their planned operation. Of the 4304 operated patients without neoadjuvant therapy, 40.5% (1744/4304) were delayed beyond 4 weeks. Delayed patients were more likely to be older, men, more comorbid, have higher body mass index and have rectal cancer and early stage disease. Delayed patients had higher unadjusted rates of complete resection (93.7% vs. 91.9%, P = 0.032) and lower rates of emergency surgery (4.5% vs. 22.5%, P < 0.001). After adjustment, delay was not associated with a lower rate of complete resection (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.90-1.55, P = 0.224), which was consistent in elective patients only (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.69-1.27, P = 0.672). Longer delays were not associated with poorer outcomes. CONCLUSION: One in 15 colorectal cancer patients did not receive their planned operation during the first wave of COVID-19. Surgical delay did not appear to compromise resectability, raising the hypothesis that any reduction in long-term survival attributable to delays is likely to be due to micro-metastatic disease

Neonatal syndromes of polyendocrinopathy.

Fetal and newborn mammals have a limited ability to mount an immune response, both qualitatively and quantitatively, leading to an increased susceptibility to bacterial or viral infections. The incomplete development in the neonate of both innate and acquired immune system may well explain this increased susceptibility; however, the neonatal immune system, under certain circumstances, can mount an efficient immune response. Various immune-mediated disorders, including autoimmune syndromes, can take place in the early postnatal life, a period during which the immune system acquires key functions and undergoes a complex maturation and education process. Neonatal autoimmune syndromes involving endocrine glands include: IPEX/XLAAD/XPID, neonatal hyperthyroidism, Di George syndrome, ALPS, and Kabuki syndrome

Virus Infections: Lessons from Pancreas Histology

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a chronic autoimmune disease resulting from the progressive immune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells in genetically susceptible individuals, with the likely contribution of environmental factors, among which viruses have been extensively studied. The pathologic hallmark of the disease is insulitis—a process characterized by islet infiltration of immunocompetent cells that has been well characterized in animal models of islet autoimmunity, and to a lesser extent, in humans. Insulitis characterization has provided valuable information to gain insights into the disease pathogenesis. We review the recent literature on the viral contribution to β-cell destruction and dysfunction in type 1 diabetes, with particular reference to the pathology of the pancreatic islet in humans and in animal models of the disease