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Streptococcus salivarius K12 is an oral probiotic known to contribute to protection against oral pathogenic bacteria in humans. Studies of immune responses to S. salivarius K12 have focused on the oral cavity, and systemic immune responses have not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to identify acute systemic immune responses to the commercial product, S. salivarius BLIS K12, in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled human clinical trial. It was hypothesised that consumption of S. salivarius BLIS K12 would induce an anti-inflammatory response and a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines. Blood samples were obtained from participants prior to a single dose of S. salivarius BLIS K12 or a placebo and then secondary blood samples were obtained 24 h and 7 days post-consumption. Samples were analysed using multi-parametric flow cytometry, to quantify immune cell frequency changes, and by a LEGENDplex assay of human inflammatory cytokines. Consumption of S. salivarius BLIS K12 was associated with increased levels of IL-8 at 24 h. The frequency of Tregs increased in samples taken 7 days after probiotic consumption, and IL-10 concentrations were higher at 7 days than 24 h after consumption. There was no difference in the frequency and/or activation of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells and NK cells. Interestingly, there was an increase in IL-12, 7 days after the consumption of S. salivarius BLIS K12. Collectively, this research demonstrates that ingestion of the probiotic S. salivarius K12 can induce changes in the systemic immune response. The implications of the generation and type of immune response warrant further study to determine potential health benefits.

Mouse models are invaluable tools for cancer immunology research. However, there are differences in the immune response to the tumour depending on the model used, and these differences are not often characterised on their own. Instead they are often only analysed in response to a therapeutic immune modulation. There are important issues with translatability into effective clinical research when considering the choice of mouse models. Here we analysed the tumour immune microenvironment and modified aspects of the tumour model to determine the effect on the composition of the immune infiltrate. Mice injected subcutaneously with the melanoma cell line, B16-OVA, had a higher frequency of T cells, especially CD8+ T cells, than mice injected subcutaneously with CT26 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. We compared the same tumour cell line (CT26) delivered either subcutaneously and intracaecally. To minimise immunological impacts due to the invasive surgery procedure, we optimised an existing intracaecal injection protocol. Intracaecal tumours had a higher frequency of infiltrating CD3+ CD4+ T cells and a lower frequency of CD3-CD19- (putative NK cells) than subcutaneous tumours. In contrast, there was a higher frequency of F480+ macrophages in subcutaneous tumours than intracaecal tumours. These data demonstrate that variability between animals, between experiments and within tumour models, can lead to difficulty in interpreting the infiltrating immune response and translating this response to clinical research. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42826-020-00075-9.

Objective Human intestinal organoids (hIOs) have potential as a model for investigating intestinal diseases. The hIO system faces logistic challenges including limited access to biopsies or low expression of epithelial cell types. Previous research identified the feasibility of tissue from the transverse (TC) or sigmoid colon (SC), or from cryopreserved biopsies from regions of the gastrointestinal tract. We aimed to create a protocol for robust hIO generation that could be implemented across multiple centres, allowing for development of a consistent biobank of hIOs from diverse patients. Results TC and SC hIOs were expanded from fresh or frozen biopsies with standard or refined media. The expression of epithelial cells was evaluated via PCR. Growth of TC and SC hIO from healthy donors was reproducible from freshly acquired and frozen biopsies. A refined media including insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 enabled the expression of epithelial cells, including higher expression of goblet cells and enterocytes compared to standard organoid media. We identified a consistent time point where hIOs generated from frozen biopsies reflect similar hIO composition from freshly acquired samples. Feasibility of hIOs as a tool for research and clinical use, including the use of frozen biopsies, was demonstrated.

T cell infiltration of tumors plays an important role in determining colorectal cancer disease progression and has been incorporated into the Immunoscore prognostic tool. In this study, mass cytometry was used to demonstrate a significant increase in the frequency of both conventional CD25+FOXP3+CD127lo regulatory T cells (Tregs) as well as BLIMP-1+ Tregs in the tumor compared with nontumor bowel (NTB) of the same patients. Network cluster analyses using SCAFFoLD, VorteX, and CITRUS revealed that an increase in BLIMP-1+ Tregs was a single distinguishing feature of the tumor tissue compared with NTB. BLIMP-1+ Tregs represented the most significantly enriched T cell population in the tumor compared with NTB. The enrichment of ICOS, CD45RO, PD-1, PDL-1, LAG-3, CTLA-4, and TIM-3 on BLIMP-1+ Tregs suggests that BLIMP-1+ Tregs have a more activated phenotype than conventional Tregs and may play a role in antitumor immune responses.

Streptococcus salivarius K12 is an oral probiotic known to contribute to protection against oral pathogenic bacteria in humans. Studies of immune responses to S. salivarius K12 have focused on the oral cavity, and systemic immune responses have not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to identify acute systemic immune responses to the commercial product, S. salivarius BLIS K12, in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled human clinical trial. It was hypothesised that consumption of S. salivarius BLIS K12 would induce an anti-inflammatory response and a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines. Blood samples were obtained from participants prior to a single dose of S. salivarius BLIS K12 or a placebo and then secondary blood samples were obtained 24 h and 7 days post-consumption. Samples were analysed using multi-parametric flow cytometry, to quantify immune cell frequency changes, and by a LEGENDplex assay of human inflammatory cytokines. Consumption of S. salivarius BLIS K12 was associated with increased levels of IL-8 at 24 h. The frequency of Tregs increased in samples taken 7 days after probiotic consumption, and IL-10 concentrations were higher at 7 days than 24 h after consumption. There was no difference in the frequency and/or activation of CD4

Background Oestrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer is commonly treated using endocrine therapies such as aromatase inhibitors which block synthesis of oestradiol, but the influence of this therapy on the immune composition of breast tumours has not been fully explored. Previous findings suggest that tumour infiltrating lymphocytes and immune-related gene expression may be altered by treatment with aromatase inhibitors. However, whether these changes are a direct result of impacts on the host immune system or mediated through tumour cells is not known. We aimed to investigate the effect of oestrogen deprivation on the expression of chemokines and immune infiltration in vitro and in an ER+ immunocompetent mouse model. Methods RT-qPCR and a bead-based Bioplex system were used to investigate the expression of chemokines in MCF-7 breast cancer cells deprived of oestrogen. A migration assay and flow cytometry were used to measure the migration of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to MCF-7 cells grown without the main biologically active oestrogen, oestradiol. Using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry, we examined the immune cell infiltrate into tumours created by injecting SSM3 ER+ breast cancer cells into wild-type, immunocompetent 129/SvEv mice. Results This study demonstrates that oestrogen deprivation increases breast cancer secretion of TNF, CCL5, IL-6, IL-8, and CCL22 and alters total human peripheral blood mononuclear cell migration in an in vitro assay. Oestrogen deprivation of breast cancer cells increases migration of CD4+ T cells and decreases migration of CD11c+ and CD14+ PBMC towards cancer cells. PBMC migration towards breast cancer cells can be reduced by treatment with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin and celecoxib. Treatment with endocrine therapy using the aromatase inhibitor letrozole increases CD4+ T cell infiltration into ER+ breast cancer tumours in immune competent mice. Conclusions These results suggest that anti-oestrogen treatment of ER+ breast cancer cells can alter cytokine production and immune cells in the area surrounding the cancer cells. These findings may have implications for the combination and timing of anti-oestrogen therapies with other therapies.

High‐dimensional cytometry represents an exciting new era of immunology research, enabling the discovery of new cells and prediction of patient responses to therapy. A plethora of analysis and visualization tools and programs are now available for both new and experienced users; however, the transition from low‐ to high‐dimensional cytometry requires a change in the way users think about experimental design and data analysis. Data from high‐dimensional cytometry experiments are often underutilized, because of both the size of the data and the number of possible combinations of markers, as well as to a lack of understanding of the processes required to generate meaningful data. In this article, we explain the concepts behind designing high‐dimensional cytometry experiments and provide considerations for new and experienced users to design and carry out high‐dimensional experiments to maximize quality data collection., High‐dimensional cytometry represents an exciting new era of immunology research; however, the transition from low‐ to high‐dimensional cytometry requires a change in the way users think about experimental design and data analysis. We explain the concepts behind designing high‐dimensional cytometry experiments and provide considerations for new and experienced users to design and carry out high‐dimensional experiments. ​

Bacteria biohybrid-based vaccine delivery systems, which integrate a vaccine carrier with live non-pathogenic bacteria, are hypothesized to have improved immunostimulating potential. The aim of this study was to develop oral bacteria biohybrid-based vaccines to treat a mouse model of colorectal cancer. E. coli were combined with tumor antigen- and adjuvant-containing emulsions or liposomes. Emulsion and liposome biohybrid vaccines demonstrated in vitro and in vivo therapeutic potential. Bacteria biohybrid vaccines significantly increased the expression of CD40+, CD80+ and CD86+ on murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. Mice vaccinated with emulsion biohybrid vaccines had an increased CD8+ T cell infiltration into tumors and developed three-fold smaller tumors compared to the mice that received emulsion vaccine without E. coli.

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are ectopic lymphoid formations that form within nonlymphoid tissue. They share structural and functional characteristics with secondary lymphoid structures such as lymph nodes and can contain B-cell follicles and germinal centers surrounded by a T-cell region. TLS have been described in several types of cancers and are usually associated with positive patient outcomes. However, TLS differ vastly in cellular composition and location within tissue types. In this review, we discuss factors confounding the interpretation of the evidence for a prognostic role for TLS in cancer and frame these factors in the context of translation to regular clinical use.

The aim of this study was to develop an oral vaccine that could be used to treat colorectal cancer. Oral vaccines are technically challenging to develop due to the harsh gastric environment but have numerous benefits including high patient acceptability and the potential to stimulate local mucosal immune responses. Therapeutic vaccines are being investigated as options to treat cancer and the generation of local mucosal immunity may be of benefit in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. Novel oral vaccines consisting of a long tumour peptide and the TLR2 (Toll-like receptor 2) ligand Pam2Cys, formulated in either liposomes or W/O/W double emulsions, were developed. Oral dosing with the emulsion vaccine increased the numbers of activated T cells, B cells and CD11c+F4/80+CD11b+ cells compared to mice that received control vaccines. In an orthotopic mouse model of colorectal cancer these immunological changes were associated with a seven-fold reduction in tumour size.

Tumor infiltrating T cells are a predictor of patient outcome in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). However, many T cell populations have been associated with both poor and positive patient prognoses, indicating a need to further understand the role of different T cell subsets in CRC. In this study, the T cell infiltrate from the tumor and nontumor bowel (NTB) was examined in 95 CRC patients using flow cytometry and associations with cancer stage and disease recurrence made. Our findings showed that IFN-γ-producing T cells were associated with positive patient outcomes, and CD69+ T cells were associated with disease recurrence. Inflammatory (IL-17) and regulatory T cells were not associated with disease recurrence. Surprisingly, in a second cohort of 32 patients with long-term clinical follow up data, tumor infiltrating IL-2-producing T cells correlated negatively with disease free survival (DFS) and a higher frequency of IL-2-producing T cells was found in the NTB of patients with poorly differentiated tumors. These results point toward the possibility of a negative impact of IL-2 in tumor immune responses, which may influence future immunotherapy treatments in CRC patients.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease, with a diverse and plastic immune cell infiltrate. These immune cells play an important role in regulating tumour growth - progression or elimination. Some populations of cells have a strong correlation with disease-free survival, making them useful prognostic markers. In particular, the infiltrate of CD3+ and CD8+ T cells into CRC tumours has been validated worldwide as a valuable indicator of patient prognosis. However, the heterogeneity of the immune response, both between patients with tumours of different molecular subtypes, and within the tumour itself, necessitates the use of multiparametric analysis in the investigation of tumour-specific immune responses. This review will outline the multiparametric analysis techniques that have been developed and applied to studying the role of immune cells in the tumour, with a focus on colorectal cancer. Because much of the data in this disease relates to T cell subsets and heterogeneity, we have used T cell populations as examples throughout. Flow and mass cytometry give a detailed representation of the cells within the tumour in a single-cell suspension on a per-cell basis. Imaging technologies, such as imaging mass cytometry, are used to investigate increasing numbers of markers whilst retaining the spatial and structural information of the tumour section and the infiltrating immune cells. Together, the analyses of multiple immune parameters can provide valuable information to guide clinical decision-making in CRC.

This abstract was withdrawn by the authors. Citation Format: Dunbier AK, Hazlett J, Niemi G, Kemp R. Withdrawn [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-06-18.

The tumour microenvironment (TME) of intestinal tumours is highly complex and comprises a network of stromal cells, tumour cells, immune cells and fibroblasts, as well as microorganisms. The tumour location, environmental factors and the tumour cells themselves influence the cells within the TME. Immune cells can destroy tumour cells and are associated with better patient prognosis and response to therapy; however, immune cells are highly plastic and easily influenced to instead promote tumour growth. The interaction between local immune cells and the microbiome can lead to progression or regression of intestinal tumours. In this chapter, we will discuss how tumour development and progression can influence, and be influenced by, the microenvironment surrounding it, focusing on immune and fibroblastic cells, and the intestinal microbiota, particularly in the context of colorectal cancer.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are difficult to model as freshly acquired tissues are short-lived, provide data as a snapshot-in-time, and are not always accessible. Many patients with IBD are non-responders to first-line treatments, and responders are prone to developing resistance to treatment over time – resulting in reduced patient quality of life, increased time to remission, and potential relapse. IBDs are heterogenous and we are yet to fully understand the mechanisms of disease; thus, our ability to diagnose and prescribe optimal treatment remains ineffective. Intestinal organoids are derived from patient tissues expanded in vitro. Organoids offer unique insight into individual patient disease and are a potential route to personalized treatments. However, organoid models do not contain functional microbial and immune cell components. In this review, we discuss immune cell subsets in the context of IBD, and the requirement of immune cell and microbial components in organoid models for IBD research.

CD96 has recently been shown to be a potent immune checkpoint molecule in\ud mice, but a similar role in humans is not known. In this study, we provide a\ud detailed map of CD96 expression across human lymphocyte lineages, the\ud kinetics of CD96 regulation on T-cell activation and co-expression with other\ud conventional and emerging immune checkpoint molecules. We show that\ud CD96 is predominantly expressed by T cells and has a unique lymphocyte\ud expression profile. CD96\ud high\ud T cells exhibited distinct effector functions on\ud activation. Of note, CD96 expression was highly correlated with T-cell markers\ud in primary and metastatic human tumors and was elevated on antigen-\ud experienced T cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Collectively, these data\ud demonstrate that CD96 may be a promising immune checkpoint to enhance\ud T-cell function against human cancer and infectious disease

Analysis of tumour-infiltrating T cells in colorectal cancer can predict disease-free survival. The Immunoscore, obtained by quantifying tumour-infiltrating CD3+ and CD8+ T cells, may improve current staging. Effector regulatory T cells are a potently suppressive subset in mice and, while present in human colorectal cancer, their role in patient outcome is unknown. Immunofluorescence was used to analyse immune cell infiltrates in patients with early (stage II) colorectal cancer with (n = 13) and without (n = 19) recurrent disease. CD3 and CD8 were used for the Immunoscore; FOXP3, BLIMP-1 and CD3 to identify effector regulatory T cells. Patients with high Immunoscores had increased disease-free survival compared to patients with low Immunoscores (Log-rank test p

Crohn's disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by patchy inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is primarily characterized by inflammation of the lower vertebral column, and many patients with AS present with inflammatory gut symptoms. Genome-wide association studies have highlighted significant overlap in short nucleotide polymorphisms for both diseases. We hypothesized that patients with CD and AS have a common intestinal immune signature, characterized by inflammatory T cells, compared with healthy people. We designed a pilot study to determine both the feasibility of defining complex immune signatures from primary tissue, and differences in the local immune signature of people with inflammatory diseases compared with healthy people. Intestinal biopsies were obtained by colonoscopy from healthy patients, non-inflamed regions of CD patients and AS patients with inflammatory gut symptoms. A flow cytometry platform was developed measuring polyfunctional T-cell populations based on cytokines, surface molecules and transcription factors. There was overlap in the immune signature of people with CD or AS, characterized by changes in the frequency of regulatory T cells, compared with healthy people. There were significant differences in frequencies of other polyfunctional T-cell populations-CD patients had an increased frequency of T cells producing interleukin-22 (IL-22) and interferon-γ, whereas AS patients had an increased frequency of T cells producing IL-2; compared with healthy people. These data indicate that the local immune signature could be described in these patients and that distinct immune mechanisms may underlie disease progression.

Tumor infiltrating T cells are a predictor of patient outcome in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). However, many T cell populations have been associated with both poor and positive patient prognoses, indicating a need to further understand the role of different T cell subsets in CRC. In this study, the T cell infiltrate from the tumor and nontumor bowel (NTB) was examined in 95 CRC patients using flow cytometry and associations with cancer stage and disease recurrence made. Our findings showed that IFN-γ-producing T cells were associated with positive patient outcomes, and CD69

The frequency of circulating or tumour-infiltrating regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been associated with poor patient survival in many cancers including breast, melanoma and lung. It has been hypothesised that Tregs impact the anti-tumour function of effector T cells, resulting in worse outcomes for patients. However, high infiltrates of Tregs have been associated with a positive outcome of patients in a minority of cancers including colorectal, bladder and oesophageal. In addition, many studies have shown no impact of Tregs in patient outcome. Traditionally, research has identified Tregs as forkhead box P3 (FOXP3+) T cells in order to make such associations. Recently, it has become evident that regulatory populations are very heterogeneous, and this heterogeneity is essential for Treg function. Treg heterogeneity likely affects predictions of patient outcome, and different Treg populations may have different influences on tumours. The study of Tregs in cancer must include a better definition of the cells analysed. This review will focus primarily on colorectal cancer in humans, due to mixed data on the impact of Tregs on patient outcome in this disease.

Particulate vaccine formulations, designed to improve the delivery of antigens to antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and to stimulate an immune response, have been shown to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome. This leads to the processing and secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β, which supports the recruitment of pro-inflammatory immune cells into the tissue and can therefore be beneficial for vaccine potency. Recent work suggested that this may be a common mechanism of action for all particulate formulations. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome was common to many delivery systems. We prepared polymer-based chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs), lipid-based cubosomes, a water in oil emulsion of incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) and alum formulations and examined inflammasome activation in vitro using murine bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in vivo in mice. The formulations differed in their morphology, size and zeta-potential. Only the positively charged particles (CNPs and alum) were able to activate the inflammasome and increase the secretion of IL-1β. A decrease in the activation of the inflammasome with these particulates was observed when cathepsin B-mediated effects were blocked, implying a role of lysosomal rupture in the activation process. These findings demonstrate a role for the surface charge of particulates in the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which should be considered when designing a novel vaccine formulation.

The ALLG MM14 trial evaluated the impact of low dose dexamethasone (LoDEX) withdrawal in lenalidomide (LEN) refractory and relapsed (RR) multiple myeloma (MM) patients achieving initial disease control with pomalidomide (POM) and LoDEX re-induction. As previously reported, patients continuing with POM LoDEX had superior progression free survival (PFS) compared to maintenance with POM alone, however, this early PFS benefit was lost and by 18m was reversed to favour POM only. In patients who received post-progression therapy, more durable responses (second PFS: 12.7m vs 4.6m, p=0.034) and superior survival (OS: 19.4m vs 12.5m, p=0.092) were seen in those previously treated with POM alone. Here we present findings from the preliminary correlative immune studies of this trial. Aims To undertake mass cytometry (CyTOF) based immune profiling in patients with advanced MM receiving treatment with POM LoDEX. Methods MM14 was a multicentre, open-label, randomised phase 2 study of LEN refractory RRMM patients who had received ≥ 2 prior lines of therapy. Patients were treated with POM 4mg d1-21 (28d cycle) and LoDEX (40mg weekly). After 4 cycles (induction), patients with stable disease or better (≥SD) were randomised to receive maintenance with ongoing POM-LoDEX or POM alone. Therapy continued until toxicity/progression. PBMCs were collected at baseline and sequentially while on treatment. Cells were barcoded using the Cell-ID 20-Plex Pd barcoding kit (Fluidigm) followed by staining with sub-set/function defining antibodies (targeting myeloid, B, T and NK cells: CD16, CD24, CD11c, CD45RO, CD314, CD38, CD336, HLA-DR, CD14, CD56, CD158a, CD27, CD28, CD159a, CD8, CD19, CD45RA, CD11b, CD4, IgD, CD335, FOXP3, CD25, CD66b, CD3, CD337, CD20, CD158b, CD127 CD57, CD197, CD194, CD304 and CD279). Samples were acquired on the Helios instrument. Data were clustered in the VORTEX package. Significant differences in cluster frequency were assessed by Mann-Whitney test for statistical significance. Cluster phenotypes were determined and validated via multiple visualisation approaches. CD3-CD19-CD56+ NK cells were pre-gated from patient datasets. We then performed Boolean gating using seven NK cell activation/inhibitory markers - CD158a, CD158b, CD159a, CD314, CD335, CD336 and CD337. Boolean populations that comprised 3% or greater of the total NK cell population (median) were then compared. A Mann-Whitney test was used to determine statistical significance. Results 154 patients from 11 Australian sites were enrolled. The median number of prior treatment lines was 4.5, 82.5% were double refractory. 78 patients who achieved ≥SD were randomised to maintenance: POM n = 40, Pom LoDEX n = 38. CD336+CD20+ cells ("NK-B-cells") were identified in the pre-induction samples of all patients and were significantly more frequent in responders (median 2% of total cells) than in non-responders (0.8% of total cells, p Conclusion Utilising CyToF, we have identified a novel "NK B cell" population in RRMM patients, with a higher baseline frequency of these cells being associated with a greater likelihood of response to POM LoDEX. Importantly, we have also confirmed the presence of these cells in an independent MM cohort. Moreover, subsequent to POM LoDEX exposure we have demonstrated the enrichment of heterogeneous neutrophil populations as well as an increase in activated NK cells and commensurate decrease in inhibited NK cells. These novel observations may provide new insights into the mechanisms of action of pomalidomide in MM. Disclosures Kalff: Amgen: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; pfizer: Honoraria. Khong:Novartis Oncology: Research Funding. Reynolds:Alfred Health: Employment, Other: Biostatistician for trials funded by the Australian government and Abbvie, Amgen, Celgene, GSK, Janssen-Cilag, Merck, Novartis, Takeda, but sponsored by Alfred Health.; AUSTRALASIAN LEUKAEMIA & LYMPHOMA GROUP (ALLG): Consultancy; Novartis AG: Equity Ownership; Novartis Australia: Honoraria. Quach:GSK: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Sanofi: Research Funding; Karyopharm: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Ho:Novartis: Other: Trial Investigator meeting travel costs; La Jolla: Other: Trial Investigator meeting travel costs; Celgene: Other: Trial Investigator meeting travel costs; Janssen: Other: Trial Investigator meeting travel costs. Mollee:Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Honoraria. Spencer:Takeda: Other: Consulting/advisory role, Research Funding; Janssen Oncology: Other: Consulting/advisory role, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Other: Consulting/advisory role, Research Funding; AbbVie: Other: Consulting/advisory role, Research Funding; Servier: Other: Consulting/advisory role; Secura Bio: Other: Consulting/advisory role; Haemalogix: Other: Consulting/advisory role; Celgene: Other: Consulting/advisory role, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Sanofi: Other: Consulting/advisory role; Specialised Therapeutics Australia: Consultancy, Honoraria.

Neha N Parayath,1 Hayley Nehoff,1 Samuel E Norton,2 Andrew J Highton,2 Sebastien Taurin,1,3 Roslyn A Kemp,2 Khaled Greish1,4 1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 2Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; 4Princess Al-Jawhara Centre for Molecular Medicine, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Abstract: Oral administration of paclitaxel (PTX), a broad spectrum anticancer agent, is challenged by its low uptake due to its poor bioavailability, efflux through P-glycoprotein, and gastrointestinal toxicity. We synthesized PTX nanomicelles using poly(styrene-co-maleic acid) (SMA). Oral administration of SMA-PTXmicelles doubled the maximum tolerated dose (60mg/kg vs 30mg/kg) compared to the commercially available PTX formulation (PTX [Ebewe]). In a murine orthotopic colon cancer model, oral administration of SMA-PTXmicelles at doses 30mg/kg and 60mg/kg reduced tumor weight by 54% and 69%, respectively, as compared to the control group, while no significant reduction in tumor weight was observed with 30mg/kg of PTX (Ebewe). In addition, toxicity of PTX was largely reduced by its encapsulation into SMA. Furthermore, examination of the tumors demonstrated a decrease in the number of blood vessels. Thus, oral delivery of SMA-PTXmicelles may provide a safe and effective strategy for the treatment of colon cancer. Keywords: oral delivery, anticancer nanomedicine, CT-26, enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, HUVEC, antiangiogenic

Analysis of tumour-infiltrating T cells in colorectal cancer can predict disease-free survival. The Immunoscore, obtained by quantifying tumour-infiltrating CD3

Sustained release depot systems have been widely investigated for their potential to improve the efficacy of subunit vaccines and reduce the requirement for boosting. The present study aimed to further enhance the immunogenicity of a sustained release vaccine by combining a depot formulation with a particulate antigen delivery system. Sustained release of the model subunit antigen, ovalbumin (OVA), was observed in vivo from chitosan thermogel-based formulations containing cationic, nanosized liposomes loaded with OVA and the immunopotentiator, Quil A (QA). Such formulations demonstrated the ability to induce cluster of differentiation (CD)8(+) and CD4(+) T-cell proliferation and interferon (IFN)-γ production, as well as the production of OVA-specific antibody. However, gel-incorporated liposomes showed evidence of instability and similar in vivo immune responses to liposomes in gel formulations were induced by gel-based systems loaded with soluble OVA and QA. The immunogenicity of chitosan thermogels containing cubosomes, a more stable lipidic particulate system, was therefore examined. Similarly, all gel-based formulations produced comparable effector immune responses in experimental mice, irrespective of whether the antigen and immunopotentiator were present in gels within cubosomes or in a soluble form. This work demonstrates the potential for sustained release thermogelling systems and highlights the importance of matching the physicochemical and immunological properties of the particulate system to that of the depot.

Animal sera provide a non-defined source of nutrients and growth factors for mammalian cell culture. Animal serum supplementation may also introduce experimental artefacts, including immune responses against foreign serum proteins. This artefact is particularly apparent in tumour immunotherapy experiments using dendritic cells (DC) and melanoma cells cultured in fetal calf serum (FCS)-replete media. FCS culture of both DC and melanoma cells significantly enhanced anti-tumour responses in mice immunized with DC that had not been pulsed with tumour antigen. Although serum-free media (SFM) may be used for short term culture of cells, most SFM do not support long term culture of tumour cell lines. In addition, in vivo propagation and re-isolation of tumour cells from rodents is expensive, time consuming and only low numbers of viable tumour cells can be recovered from solid tumours. We show that a defined SFM medium is ideal for routine culture of B16 for use in prophylactic DC immunizations, negating the need for in vivo propagation of tumours to avoid FCS effects in tumour implantation experiments.

Interleukin (IL)-7 and IL-15 have non-redundant roles in promoting development of memory CD8(+) T cells. STAT5 is activated by receptors of both cytokines and has also been implicated as a requirement for generation of memory. To determine whether STAT5 activity was required for IL-7 and IL-15-mediated generation of memory, we expressed either wild type (WT) or constitutively active (CA) forms of STAT5a in normal effector cells and then observed their ability to form memory in cytokine replete or deficient hosts. Receptor-independent CA-STAT5a significantly enhanced memory formation in the absence of either cytokine but did not mediate complete rescue. Interestingly, WT-STAT5a expression enhanced memory formation in a strictly IL-7-dependent manner, suggesting that IL-7 is a more potent activator of STAT5 than IL-15 in vivo. These data suggest that the non-redundant requirement for IL-7 and IL-15 is mediated through differential activation of both STAT5-dependent and STAT5-independent pathways.

We used various culture conditions to generate type 1 (Tc1) or type 2 (Tc2) cytotoxic T cells in vitro. T-cell receptor (TCR) transgenic T cells were cultured with antigen and spleen cells, or antigen and dendritic cells (DC), or anti-CD3 and anti-CD28. Tc1 cultures contained interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-6, and Tc2 cultures contained IL-2, IL-6 and IL-4. Tc2 cells generated in each culture condition acquired a CD62L(low) CD44(high) phenotype, had high cytotoxic activity, and secreted IL-4, IL-5 and moderate amounts of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). In contrast, the phenotype and function of Tc1 cells varied depending on culture conditions. Tc1 cells from anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 cultures had high cytotoxic activity and were CD62L(low) CD44(high), while Tc1 cells from antigen and spleen cell cultures had low cytotoxic activity and were CD62L(high) CD44(low). Tc1 cells from antigen and DC cultures had an intermediate phenotype. All Tc1 cells secreted high amounts of IFN-gamma, but only Tc1 from anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 cultures had antitumour activity in vivo. Differences were not caused by suboptimal culture conditions, as Tc1 cells divided at a similar rate whether cultured with antigen and spleen cells or with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28. We conclude that IL-4 not only induces 'type 2' cytokine secretion in CD8(+) T cells, but also affects their expression of surface markers and cytotoxic activity.

Chronic infections often result in CD8 T-cell deletion or functional nonresponsiveness. However, to date no definitive studies have attempted to determine the impact of repeated T cell receptor stimulation on CD4 effector T cell generation. We have determined that when antigen presentation is limited to 2 d, optimum in vitro CD4 effector generation is achieved. Alternatively, repeated stimulation results in decreased CD4 effector expansion, decreased cytokine production, and altered migration. Similarly, functionally impaired effectors develop in vivo when antigen-pulsed antigen-presenting cells are replenished every 24 h during a primary immune response. CD4 effectors that are generated with repeated stimulation provide no protection during influenza infection, and have an impaired ability to provide cognate help to B cells. These results suggest that duration of antigen presentation dictates CD4 effector function, and repeated T cell receptor stimulation in vitro and in vivo that exceeds an optimal threshold results in effectors with impaired function.

Naive CD8+ T cells are activated on encounter with Ag presented on dendritic cells and proliferate rapidly. To investigate the regulation of naive CD8+ T cells proliferation, we adoptively transferred TCR-transgenic CD8+ T cells into intact mice together with Ag-pulsed dendritic cells. Regardless of the number of cells initially transferred, the expansion of activated Ag-specific CD8+ T cells was limited to a ceiling of effector cells. This limit was reached from a wide range of T cell doses, including a physiological number of precursor cells, and was not altered by changing the amount of Ag or APCs. The total Ag-specific response was composed of similar numbers of host and donor transgenic cells regardless of donor cell input, suggesting that these populations were independently regulated. Regulation of the transgenic donor cell population was TCR specific. We hypothesize that a clone-specific regulatory mechanism controls the extent of CD8+ T cell responses to Ag.

Specific and non-specific immunological tests were used to monitor aspects of the immune response in captive possums. The tests included total and differential white blood cell counts, lymphocyte transformation assay, and enzyme linked immunosorbant assay. The level of free cortisol present in possum plasma samples was evaluated as an endocrine marker for stress. Four different housing conditions were used to test whether stress could be managed or avoided in captive animals. Animals were caged individually or as groups in pens. Bacille Calmette-Gurein (BCG) and tetanus toxoid immunization was used to evoke primary cell mediated and antibody responses in test animals. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in immunological responses or endocrine parameters in animals held under any of the housing conditions. The results infer that wild possums adapt quickly post-capture to novel housing conditions and produce representative patterns of immunity when held in housing conditions and fed ad libitum.

CD8(+) T cells are important in the control of viral infections and cancers because of their cytolytic activity. A vaccine able to generate these cells could be beneficial in the prevention or treatment of these diseases. Chitosan hydrogel is a promising vaccine formulation that has previously been shown to generate effector CD8(+) T cells in a mouse model. This vaccine promotes sustained release of antigen and adjuvant, which generates a robust effector response. For longer lasting immunity, a memory population of these CD8(+) T cells is required to control further disease. We found that vaccination with chitosan hydrogel or dendritic cells using ovalbumin protein as a model antigen and Quil-A adjuvant provided protection in a subcutaneous melanoma challenge 30 days later. Ovalbumin-specific memory CD8(+) T cells were detectable following vaccination with the chitosan hydrogel but not the dendritic cell vaccine and an in vivo cytotoxicity assay demonstrated specific lysis of target cells in chitosan hydrogel vaccinated mice but not those receiving dendritic cell vaccination. These results demonstrate that vaccination with chitosan hydrogel is equally effective as dendritic cell vaccination in tumour protection but has more readily detectable immune correlates of protection. This may be advantageous in predetermining protection in vaccinated individuals.

We investigated whether secretion of multiple cytokines by CD8+ T cells is associated with improved protection against tumor challenge. We show that antitumor immunity induced by immunization with dendritic cells and a MHC class I-binding tumor peptide are dependent on secretion of IFN-γ but not IL-4 or IL-5 by host cells. To further address the role of IL-4 and IL-5 in antitumor immunity, tumor-specific TCR-transgenic CD8+ T cells were activated in vitro to generate cytotoxic T (Tc) 1 cells that secrete high IFN-γ and no IL-4 or IL-5 or Tc2 cells that secrete IL-4, IL-5, and some IFN-γ. Both cell types killed target cells in vitro. Tc1 and Tc2 cells were adoptively transferred into syngeneic hosts, and their ability to protect against tumor challenge was compared. Tc1 cells were able to significantly delay tumor growth, whereas Tc2 cells or Tc2 cells from IFN-γ−/− donors had no effect. This was due to neither the inability of Tc2 cells to survive in vivo or to migrate to the tumor site nor their inability to secrete IL-4 and/or IL-5 in the presence of limiting amounts of anti-CD3. However, IFN-γ secretion by Tc2 cells was triggered inefficiently by restimulation with Ag compared with anti-CD3. We conclude that the ability to secrete “type 2” cytokines, and cytotoxic ability, have a limited role in antitumor immune responses mediated by CD8+ T cells, whereas the capacity to secrete high amounts of IFN-γ remains the most critical antitumor effector mechanism in vivo.

We show in this paper that the survival of antigen-loaded dendritic cells in vivo may be used as a sensitive readout of CTL activity. We have previously shown that dendritic cells labeled with the fluorescent dye CFSE and injected sub-cutaneously into mice migrate spontaneously to the draining lymph node where they persist for several days. In the presence of effector CTL responses, dendritic cells loaded with specific antigen rapidly disappear from the draining lymph node. In this paper we extend the above observations and set up a simple and sensitive method to reveal CTL activity in individual mice in vivo. Dendritic cells were labeled with two different fluorochromes, loaded with antigen or left untreated, and mixed together before injection into mice. We show that only the dendritic cells loaded with specific antigen were cleared from the draining lymph node, while dendritic cells not loaded with antigen remained unaffected. Cytotoxic responses generated by immunization with peptide-loaded dendritic cells, or by infection with influenza virus, could be revealed using this method. Comparison of the differential survival of dendritic cells populations mixed together also allowed us to accurately evaluate the disappearance of dendritic cells, irrespective of variability in the injection site and other parameters. Given the ability of dendritic cells to efficiently take up and present complex antigens, nucleic acids and apoptotic bodies, this method may also allow the evaluation of cytotoxic activity against antigens that are not characterized in terms of peptide epitopes.

In New Zealand the product most frequently implicated in cases of scombroid poisoning is hot-smoked kahawai (Arripis trutta). Using a Hafnia alvei strain, previously isolated from a portion of hot-smoked kahawai with a histamine level of 1,659.4 mg/kg, thermal death trials were carried out in a model suspension (0.1% peptone) at 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58 degrees C. From the linear regression line (R2 = 0.98) fitted to observed D values plotted against temperature, calculated D values for 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58 degrees C were estimated to be 0.63, 0.36, 0.20, 0.11, and 0.06 min, respectively, giving a z value of 4.14 degrees C. Thermal death trials were also carried out for H. alvei associated with hot-smoked kahawai at 54, 55, 55.5, 56, and 57 degrees C. From the linear regression line (R2 = 0.93) fitted to the data, calculated D values for 54, 55, 56, and 57 degrees C were estimated to be 1.42, 0.74, 0.38, and 0.20 min, respectively, giving a z value of 3.57 degrees C. Results indicate that hot smoking has the potential to eliminate H. alvei from seafood products.

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively referred to as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), are the result of an aberrant immune response to ubiquitous antigens in a genetically susceptible host. In the past, treatment has focused on immunosuppression with the aim of achieving symptom-free remission. Over the last two decades, with a better understanding of the underlying pathomechanisms and an increased knowledge of the natural disease course, mucosal healing (the endoscopic absence of visible inflammation) has become the target of therapy. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α therapy was introduced in the late 1990s and, for the first time, targeted and effective medication became available. However, these medications are not without significant side effects, and long-term efficacy is only achieved in about one third of patients. Alongside anti-TNF-α agents, a variety of other drugs targeting different aspects of the immune system will become available over the next few years. This review aims to provide a brief summary of immunologic pathways involved in IBD and shows where current and new drugs fit into these pathways.

T cells play a crucial role in preventing the growth and spread of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, immunotherapies against CRC have only shown limited success, which may be due to lack of understanding about the effect of the local tumor microenvironment (TME) on T cell function. The goal of this study was to determine whether T cells in tumor tissue were functionally impaired compared to T cells in non-tumor bowel (NTB) tissue from the same patients. We showed that T cell populations are affected differently by the TME. In the tumor, T cells produced more IL-17 and less IL-2 per cell than their counterparts from NTB tissue. T cells from tumor tissue also had impaired proliferative ability compared to T cells in NTB tissue. This impairment was not related to the frequency of IL-2 producing T cells or regulatory T cells, but T cells from the TME had a higher co-expression of inhibitory receptors than T cells from NTB. Overall, our data indicate that T cells in tumor tissue are functionally altered by the CRC TME, which is likely due to cell intrinsic factors. The TME is therefore an important consideration in predicting the effect of immune modulatory therapies.

In contrast to many cancers, a high infiltration of macrophages in colorectal cancer (CRC) has been associated with improved prognosis for patients. Cytokines and other stimuli from the tumor microenvironment affect monocyte to macrophage maturation and subsequent phenotype and function. Heterogeneous myeloid populations were identified using a novel flow cytometry panel in both tumor and paired non-tumor bowel (NTB) from CRC patients. The frequency of macrophage subsets with a gut-conditioned phenotype was lower in tumor compared with NTB. We used an in vitro system to show that two of the macrophage populations represented pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory phenotypes. Conditioned media that contained high levels of interleukin-6 promoted and maintained an anti-inflammatory phenotype in vitro. This study demonstrates the plasticity and heterogeneity of macrophage subtypes in human CRC, and the feasibility of studying complex populations. Ex vivo experiments demonstrate that macrophage subsets are influenced by the tumor microenvironment.

Colorectal cancer is one of the five leading causes of cancer mortality worldwide. The mechanisms of pathogen clearance, inflammation and regulation by T cells in the healthy bowel are also important in controlling tumor growth. The majority of studies analyzing T cells and their relationship to colorectal tumor growth have focused on individual T cell markers or gene clusters and thus the complexity of the T cell response contributing to the growth of the tumor is not clear. We have studied the T cells in colorectal cancer patients and have defined a unique T cell signature for colorectal tumor tissue. Using a novel analytical flow cytometric approach in concert with confocal microscopy, we have shown that the tumor has a lower frequency of effector T cells (CD69+), but a higher frequency of both regulatory (CD25hi Foxp3+) and inflammatory T cells (IL-17+) compared with associated nontransformed bowel tissue. We have also identified minor populations of T cells expressing conventional markers of both inflammatory and regulatory T cells (CD4+IL-17+Foxp3+) in the tumor tissue. These cells may represent intermediate populations or they may dictate an inflammatory versus regulatory function in surrounding T cells. Together, these data describe an immune microenvironment in colorectal cancer unique to the tumor tissue and distinct from the surrounding healthy bowel tissue, and this distinct environment is reflected by a gradient of T cells expressing markers of multiple T cell populations. These findings may be used to improve diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.

BACKGROUND.: Urine is a potentially rich source of biomarkers for monitoring kidney dysfunction. In this study, we have investigated the potential of soluble human leukocyte antigen (sHLA)-DR in the urine for noninvasive monitoring of renal transplant patients. METHODS.: Urinary soluble HLA-DR levels were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 103 patients with renal diseases or after renal transplantation. sHLA-DR in urine was characterized by Western blotting and mass spectrometry. RESULTS.: Acute graft rejection was associated with a significantly elevated level of urinary sHLA-DR (P

The immune response to colorectal cancer has proven to be a reliable measure of patient outcome in several studies. However, the complexity of the immune response in this disease is not well understood, particularly the interactions between tumour-associated cells and cells of the innate and adaptive immune system. This review will discuss the relationship between cancer associated fibroblasts and macrophages, as well as between macrophages and T cells, and demonstrate how each population may support or prevent tumour growth in a different immune environment.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide - over half of those diagnosed will die from the disease. An important role for the immune response in controlling CRC has been demonstrated in numerous animal models and in human patients. The extent of T cell infiltration in the primary tumour is a better predictor of survival in CRC patients than traditional staging. Further, recent data by our lab and others have shown a correlation between immune response gene expression and favourable patient outcome. Despite the presence of an immune response, tumours still develop and grow. We hypothesised that the T cell response in the lymph nodes, i.e. the site of immune response initiation, may be a better predictor of patient outcome than that of the primary tumour. To this end, we analysed T cell subsets in the lymph nodes of Dukes' Stage B colorectal cancer (non metastatic) in a cohort of patients from New Zealand who had clinical follow-up. We found that, as is true for CD8+ T cells infiltrating the primary tumour, the number of CD8+ T cells on the lymph nodes correlated with a favourable patient outcome. However, the number of total CD4+ T cells in the lymph node was not correlated with patient outcome. The subtypes of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, e.g. regulatory, effector, memory, are yet to be investigated. However, our data shows that the anti-tumour immune response appears to be initiated effectively in the lymph node and implies that the tumour environment may act directly to down-modulate an effective immune response.