Common variants in P2RY11 are associated with narcolepsy.

l e t t e r s Growing evidence supports the hypothesis that narcolepsy with cataplexy is an autoimmune disease. We here report genomewide association analyses for narcolepsy with replication and fine mapping across three ethnic groups (3,406 individuals of European ancestry, 2,414 Asians and 302 African Americans). We identify a SNP in the 3′ untranslated region of P2RY11, the purinergic receptor subtype P2Y 11 gene, which is associated with narcolepsy (rs2305795, combined P = 6.1 × 10 −10 , odds ratio = 1.28, 95% CI 1.19-1.39, n = 5689). The diseaseassociated allele is correlated with reduced expression of P2RY11 in CD8 + T lymphocytes (339% reduced, P = 0.003) and natural killer (NK) cells (P = 0.031), but not in other peripheral blood mononuclear cell types. The low expression variant is also associated with reduced P2RY11-mediated resistance to ATP-induced cell death in T lymphocytes (P = 0.0007) and natural killer cells (P = 0.001). These results identify P2RY11 as an important regulator of immune-cell survival, with possible implications in narcolepsy and other autoimmune diseases

Common variants in P2RY11 are associated with narcolepsy.

Growing evidence supports the hypothesis that narcolepsy with cataplexy is an autoimmune disease. We here report genome-wide association analyses for narcolepsy with replication and fine mapping across three ethnic groups (3,406 individuals of European ancestry, 2,414 Asians and 302 African Americans). We identify a SNP in the 3' untranslated region of P2RY11, the purinergic receptor subtype P2Y₁₁ gene, which is associated with narcolepsy (rs2305795, combined P = 6.1 × 10⁻¹⁰, odds ratio = 1.28, 95% CI 1.19-1.39, n = 5689). The disease-associated allele is correlated with reduced expression of P2RY11 in CD8(+) T lymphocytes (339% reduced, P = 0.003) and natural killer (NK) cells (P = 0.031), but not in other peripheral blood mononuclear cell types. The low expression variant is also associated with reduced P2RY11-mediated resistance to ATP-induced cell death in T lymphocytes (P = 0.0007) and natural killer cells (P = 0.001). These results identify P2RY11 as an important regulator of immune-cell survival, with possible implications in narcolepsy and other autoimmune diseases.journal articleresearch support, n.i.h., extramuralresearch support, non-u.s. gov'tresearch support, u.s. gov't, p.h.s.2011 Jan2010 12 19importedErratum in : Nat Genet. 2011 Oct;43(10):1040

Bispecific T-Cell Redirection versus Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T Cells as Approaches to Kill Cancer Cells

The concepts for T-cell redirecting bispecific antibodies (TRBAs) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells are both at least 30 years old but both platforms are just now coming into age. Two TRBAs and two CAR-T cell products have been approved by major regulatory agencies within the last ten years for the treatment of hematological cancers and an additional 53 TRBAs and 246 CAR cell constructs are in clinical trials today. Two major groups of TRBAs include small, short-half-life bispecific antibodies that include bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTE®s) which require continuous dosing and larger, mostly IgG-like bispecific antibodies with extended pharmacokinetics that can be dosed infrequently. Most CAR-T cells today are autologous, although significant strides are being made to develop off-the-shelf, allogeneic CAR-based products. CAR-Ts form a cytolytic synapse with target cells that is very different from the classical immune synapse both physically and mechanistically, whereas the TRBA-induced synapse is similar to the classic immune synapse. Both TRBAs and CAR-T cells are highly efficacious in clinical trials but both also present safety concerns, particularly with cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity. New formats and dosing paradigms for TRBAs and CAR-T cells are being developed in efforts to maximize efficacy and minimize toxicity, as well as to optimize use with both solid and hematologic tumors, both of which present significant challenges such as target heterogeneity and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment

Enumeration, Isolation, and Characterization of Beggiatoa from Freshwater Sediments

An accurate most-probable-number enumeration method was developed for counting the number of Beggiatoa trichomes from various freshwater sediments. The medium consisted of extracted hay, diluted soil extract, 0.05% acetate, and 15 to 35 U of catalase per ml. The same enrichment medium, but without the acetate, was the best enrichment medium from which to obtain pure cultures because it supported good growth of the beggiatoas without allowing them to be overgrown by other bacteria. A total of 32 strains of Beggiatoa were isolated from seven different freshwater habitats and partially characterized. The strains were separated into five groups based on several preliminary characteristics. Four of the groups contained cells with trichomes of approximately the same diameter (1.5 to 2.7 μm) and may be Beggiatoa leptomitiformis or an unnamed species. The fifth group appeared to be Beggiatoa alba. With the exception of three strains, all of the strains deposited sulfur in the presence of hydrogen sulfide, and all strains grew heterotrophically and deposited poly-β-hydroxybutyrate and volutin when grown on acetate supplemented with low concentrations of other organic nutrients. Thin sections of sulfur-bearing trichomes indicated that the sulfur granules were external to the cytoplasmic membrane and that they were surrounded by an additional membrane