Treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive hematopoietic malignancy of myeloid progenitors, has remained rather stagnant over the course of several decades. Infusions of cytarabine and anthracycline antibiotics have dominated the landscape of AML therapy, with minor changes to dosing schedule occasionally making slight adjustments to efficacy or tolerability. Improvements in prognosis have been bittersweet, with most progress seen in younger populations less likely to get the disease, and already more likely to achieve remission and to meet survival milestones. Much of this progress is attributed to other factors, such as improved supportive care and availability of hematopoietic stem cell and platelet transfusion. In most patients, occupying the 60-and-above demographic, improvements in survival have not been significant. In turn, the population impact of AML has changed little over time. While accounting for about one-third of total leukemia cases and one percent of total cancer cases, AML accounts for about one half of total leukemia deaths and two percent of total cancer deaths. Most advances straying away from standard treatment have been in important pathways that could be impactful in subsets of the overall AML patient population. Tyrosine kinases are implicated in numerous cancers including AML, with activity-enhancing mutations conferring growth advantages to malignant cells. About one-third of AML patients have mutations in one such kinase, FLT3, and may benefit from inhibitors to tyrosine kinases overall and from FLT3- specific agents. Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenases highlight another subpopulation, about one-fifth of AML patients, who might benefit from emerging agents that inhibit these pathways from creating a leukemia-favoring environment in the bone marrow. Other pathways similarly implicated in numerous cancers including AML are being targeted with new agents that can benefit some AML patients, such as Hedgehog signaling and apoptotic regulation. Still, breakthroughs are needed that can help most AML patients, particularly in the cases of relapsed leukemia that occurs in most patients within a year or two after remission is achieved. CD33 is among a few molecular targets for AML, though it is just as ubiquitously expressed on healthy myeloid cells. Antibody-drug conjugates like Mylotarg have made progress in this approach, though hematopoietic toxicities have made treatment difficult in older populations. Clever techniques such as ablation of CD33 from healthy myeloid progenitors may be supportive in CD33-based approaches, and immunotherapy involving CD33-targeting is a rapidly growing research focus. This dissertation describes a new type of bispecific antibody that binds CD33 on AML and CD3 on cytotoxic T cells in a proof-of-concept study. Various formats for bifunctional molecules have been created and used clinically, including antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies that simultaneously engage antigens on two different types of cells. Those like the one described here, bispecific T-cell engagers, have typically taken the form of single-chain fusion proteins containing the variable regions binding to both antigens of interest. Other bispecific antibodies have imitated naturally-occurring immunoglobulin structures, boasting superior pharmacokinetics while facing steep obstacles in large-scale production. The single-chain fusions, easier to produce, can face difficulties in full engagement, with loss of function sometimes seen in fusion partners at the C-terminus. We propose a new format, believed to present two antigen-binding domains in N-terminal positions on a two-chain heterodimeric structure. Capitalizing on an elegantly designed system of hydrophobic cores and hydrogen-bonding networks generating an orthogonal heterodimer, we added an immunoglobulin hinge region to secure a permanently-bound heterodimer, and attached domains binding to CD3 and CD33. We hypothesized that this design, ensured to present its antibody components at N-termini, could bind two antigens at a distance appropriate for facilitating T cell cytotoxicity to AML. After expressing and purifying these proteins in mammalian cells, we demonstrated their ability to persist as a bispecific heterodimer. We showed in vitro that our bispecific heterodimers could bind both CD3+ and CD33+ cells, and that they bolstered T cell cytotoxicity to AML cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. Monomeric components bound only CD3+ or CD33+ cells depending on antibody variable domain present, and had no effect on T cell cytotoxicity. In a mouse model of minimal residual disease, T cells alone did not have a significant effect on the growth of AML, nor did they have an effect on overall survival. T cells with bispecific heterodimer greatly extended survival, and mice of this treatment group were free of leukemia. These findings suggest that this format for bispecific proteins allows for robust simultaneous engagement with both antigens of interest in a manner conducive to T cell cytotoxicity against AML. We believe this presents a compelling modular system for bispecific antibodies, where CD3- and CD33-binding domains can be readily swapped with domains binding to other cancer- or immune cell-specific antigens, and can be further developed into a trispecific system engaging other immune cells or extending half-life with anti-albumin or Fc domains.

No description available.

Canine Oral Papillomavirus (COPV) induces warts on the oral mucosa in domestic dogs and other canids. The canine oral papillomatosis (COP) is a well established animal model of mucosal papillomatosis. While the regression of a current infection is mediated by cellular immunity, humoral immunity does prevent reinfection. Question of the present study was, if unspecific stimulation of the immune system with the inducer of paramunity Baypamune® during the period of growth would have an influence on the course of canine oral papillomatosis. Clinical criteria for this purpose were period of growth, period of regression and the size and morphology of Papillomas at the end of growth. Additionally ALAT and ASAT were quantified in order to rule out deterioration of liver cells. PCV and leucocytes where monitored and a differentiation was performed. In a second part of the study, L1-antibodies and IFNg, TNF-a as well as IL-18 were determined by the Institute of Virology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Leipzig. At the end of the study, biopsies of mucosa were taken for detection of viral genome. In a pre-study, three Labrador Retrievers at 14 weeks of age were challenged with 15 μl of virus suspension (40 μg of COPV-L1 Protein/ml) per site by scarification of oral mucosa. Papillomas developed at all challenged sites. These were removed during the period of growth and handed over to the Institute of Virology of the Faculty of Summary 70 Veterinary Medicine of the University of Leipzig for preparation of the suspension used in the main study. In the main study, 13 Labrador Retrievers at 14 weeks of age were challenged with 10 μl of virus suspension (40 μg of COPV-L1 Protein/ml) per site by scarification of three areas of the left oral mucosa. All animals developed at least at one site warts, totally 88 % of the challenged sites showed papillomas. 44 Days after infection, 12 dogs were divided into two groups which did not differ in time of incubation and size of the papillomas. Over a period of four weeks, one group received a total of five dosis of Baypamune®, the other group five dosis of placebo. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding the period of growth, period of regression, size and morphology of the papillomas. The administration of Baypamune® during the period of growth had no effect on the clinical course of COP in this trial. However, time of application of the substances should be considered critically, since papillomas of five animals had been in regression before the first application of Baypamune® and placebo had taken place. No deterioration of liver cells could be ascertained. There was no difference between the groups regarding packed cell volume, white blood count and differentiation throughout the study. Parameters of unspecific immunity determined by the Institute of Virology, IFN-γ, TNF-a und IL-18, delivered no evaluable results. However, four animals of the placebogroup showed Papilloma-DNA in the Biopsies taken, but none of the animals, that received Baypamune®, being this a possible indicator for stimulation of cellular immunity. Anti-L1-Antibodies rose earlier in the Baypamune®group than in the placebogroup. In conclusion therapeutic efficacy of Baypamune® in dogs with present COP could not be shown in this trial, making future investigation necessary.

No description available.

Brucella abortus (BA) are gram-negative, facultative intracellular bacteria that cause abortions in cattle and debilitating illness in humans. The US is now virtually free of bovine brucellosis, but the disease is endemic in wildlife. The official brucellosis vaccine in the US is strain RB51 (RB51). It elicits protective cell-mediated immunity (CMI) against BA infections. Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) causes paratuberculosis in ruminants. It is a slow growing intracellular parasite that requires CMI for its control, belongs to the genus Mycobacterium, and is closely related to M. avium avium (MA). Using RB51 as a vector that induces strong protective CMI may be useful to protect against MAP if it expresses MAP protective antigens. Therefore, MAP 85A and 35kDa proteins were expressed at low levels in RB51, and the immune responses elicited by these vaccines in BALB/c mice were evaluated. Strong anti-Brucella immunity was generated, but the anti-mycobacterial response was low. To evaluate protective efficacy, a BALB/c model using MA was developed. When mice were challenged with MA, protection was obtained in some experiments but was inconsistent. This may be due to the low expression of MAP antigens in RB51. Another objective was to evaluate the effect of an ongoing Brucella-infection on the efficacy of RB51 vaccination, and whether vaccination of already infected animals could have a curative effect. Mice acutely or chronically infected with virulent BA, rapidly cleared the RB51 vaccine organisms, but there was no significant decrease in the number of virulent BA. Brucella spp. have been developed as biological weapons, but there are no vaccines to protect humans. The development of a very attenuated protective vaccine is necessary to prevent human infections, as well as to protect wildlife. To generate such a vaccine, RB51 based vaccines were irradiated to render them non-replicative, but metabolically active. We demonstrated that in general, irradiated and non-irradiated RB51 vaccines remain protective at levels similar to those elicited by the live vaccines. Therefore, irradiation of strain RB51 is an effective means of attenuating the strain without affecting its protective characteristics, and could eventually be used as a vaccine for wildlife and humans. / Ph. D.

Lau Wing-Ngar Vivian. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-144). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract --- p.ii / Abbreviations --- p.vi / List of figures --- p.viii / List of tables --- p.xi / Contents --- p.xiii / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- General introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Roadside air pollution worldwide and in Hong Kong --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Air quality in Hong Kong --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Characteristics of particulate matter --- p.9 / Chapter 1.4 --- Composition and sources of particulate matter --- p.11 / Chapter 1.5 --- Toxic effects of particulate matter --- p.12 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Lung injury --- p.12 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Cardiovascular injury --- p.15 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Mutagenesis and carcinogenesis --- p.16 / Chapter 1.6 --- Aims of my study --- p.16 / Chapter 2 --- Toxic Effects of Heavy Metals Ions on Selected Cultured Cell-lines --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Metals --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.1.1 --- Cadmium --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.1.2 --- Chromium --- p.23 / Chapter 2.1.1.3 --- Lead --- p.25 / Chapter 2.1.1.4 --- Zinc --- p.26 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Metallothioneins --- p.28 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- p53 --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) --- p.32 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Aims of this chapter --- p.32 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Reagents --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Cultured Cell lines --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- PU5-18 --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- LL24 --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.2.3 --- HBE4-E6/E7 --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Cytotoxicity assays --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- ELISA assays --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.4.1 --- ELISA assay ofp53 levels --- p.41 / Chapter 2.2.4.2 --- ELISA assay of TNF-α levels --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- MT gene expression studies by Luciferase assay --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.5.1 --- PCR amplification --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.5.2 --- 5´ة End modification of PCR amplified DNA --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.5.3 --- Ligation of DNA fragment to linearized vector --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.5.4 --- E. coli. transformation by heat shock --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.5.5 --- PCR sequencing --- p.47 / Chapter 2.2.5.6 --- Transfection of plasmid into HBE4-E6/E7 cells --- p.49 / Chapter 2.2.5.7 --- Data analysis --- p.50 / Chapter 2.3 --- Results and discussion --- p.51 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Cytotoxicity assays --- p.51 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Combination effects of metals on cytotoxicity --- p.61 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- p53 --- p.65 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- TNF-α --- p.68 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- MT gene expression studies by Luciferase assay --- p.69 / Chapter 2.4 --- Conclusion --- p.74 / Chapter 3 --- Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) on Cultured Cell-lines --- p.75 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.75 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.79 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Reagents --- p.79 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Cell culture --- p.79 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- AlamarBlue assay --- p.80 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- EROD assay --- p.80 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results and discussion --- p.84 / Chapter 3.4 --- Conclusion --- p.88 / Chapter 4 --- Chemical and Biological Assays on Roadside Dust --- p.89 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.89 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Composition of particulate matter in Hong Kong --- p.89 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Metal contents of particulate matter in Hong Kong --- p.91 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Possible adverse health impacts of particulate matter --- p.94 / Chapter 4.1.3.1 --- In vitro studies using different cell models --- p.94 / Chapter 4.1.3.2 --- In vivo studies using rodents --- p.97 / Chapter 4.1.3.3 --- Epidemiological studies --- p.98 / Chapter 4.1.4 --- Aims of this chapter --- p.100 / Chapter 4.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.101 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Sampling of roadside dust --- p.101 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Chemical analysis of roadside dust --- p.104 / Chapter 4.2.2.1 --- Reagents --- p.104 / Chapter 4.2.2.2 --- Total metal contents --- p.105 / Chapter 4.2.2.3 --- Extractable metal contents --- p.105 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Biological assays --- p.105 / Chapter 4.2.3.1 --- Cell models --- p.106 / Chapter 4.2.3.2 --- Pretreatment of roadside dust --- p.106 / Chapter 4.2.3.3 --- AlamarBlue assay --- p.106 / Chapter 4.2.3.4 --- ELISA assays --- p.108 / Chapter 4.2.3.5 --- Luciferase assay --- p.108 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results and discussion --- p.110 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Total metal contents --- p.110 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Extractable metal contents --- p.113 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- AlamarBlue assay --- p.116 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- p53 --- p.122 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- TNF-α --- p.122 / Chapter 4.3.6 --- Luciferase assay --- p.126 / Chapter 4.4 --- Conclusion --- p.129 / Chapter 5 --- General discussion and conclusion --- p.130 / Chapter 6 --- References --- p.135

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. March 2015 / Lung cancer is currently the most deadly form of cancer due to the fact that metastasis occurs in the lymph nodes making it difficult to remove by surgical means. Chemotherapy has been the most successful method of treatment, although it has been harmful to human health as a consequence of non-specific cytotoxicity. There has been, therefore, a growing interest in cancer research to develop alternative cancer treatments, which are less toxic. Currently plant-derived drugs are perceived to be more effective as they display both cytotoxic activity and are less harmful to overall human health. Thus the aim of the study was to determine the cytotoxic effects of the plant Lobostemon fruticosus on A549 cells. The IC50 of the methanol and butanol extracts of L. fruticosus were obtained at 40 μg/ml and 50 μg/ml, respectively. DNA fragmentation was observed after 48 hour exposure to treatments, indicating that the plant extracts induced apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis indicated that the plant extracts inhibited cell cycle progression at the sub-G0 phase, which indicated that the cells had undergone apoptosis. RT-PCR showed that the expression of p53 was down-regulated; however, p21 and Bax were up-regulated in all treatments. LC-MS identified that the compounds from the plant extracts are known apoptotic inducers. The results lead to the conclusion that the extracts of L. fruticosus, induce cell death in A549 cells. The plant extracts induced a p53-independent apoptotic mechanism, which was mediated by Bax and p21. Key words: Lobostemon fruticosus, camptothecin, taxol, Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

La maladie de Newcastle est une maladie virale hautement contagieuse et dévastatrice chez la volaille. Bien que la biosécurité et lhygiène puissent savérer suffisantes pour lutter contre lintroduction de la maladie, la vaccination préventive est considérée comme une précaution supplémentaire et a été rendue obligatoire dans la plupart des pays européens dès les années 90 suite aux épidémies de ND. Cependant, lobservation dépizooties sporadiques témoigne des limites des programmes de prévention actuels. Dans ce contexte, de nombreuses alternatives vaccinales sont étudiées afin de limiter le risque dune infection par le NDV et de réduire la transmission virale, tout en prévenant les signes cliniques et la mortalité. Durant ce travail, la vaccination à un jour à laide dun vaccin atténué a été privilégiée et lamélioration de son efficacité par la co-administration avec ladjuvant chitosan et une primo-vaccination in ovo avec un vaccin recombinant rHVT-ND a été investiguée. Lobjectif de cette thèse consiste à étudier de manière approfondie limmunité induite chez le poulet par la vaccination contre la ND et à établir une corrélation entre les réponses immunitaires mesurées et la protection. Ces expériences ont montré linfluence du tropisme de la souche vaccinale de NDV sur linduction de limmunité à médiation cellulaire et sur le degré de la réponse immune locale en anticorps au niveau des tractus respiratoire et digestif. Cette réponse immune cellulaire spécifique du NDV a pu être renforcée par la co-administration du chitosan avec le vaccin atténué. Linterférence des anticorps maternels sur linduction dune réponse immune spécifique lors dune vaccination à un jour a également été validée. Cet impact négatif a pu être limité par une primo-vaccination in ovo avec un vaccin recombinant rHVT-ND. Enfin, le programme de vaccination combinant une primo-vaccination in ovo avec une vaccination à un jour avec un vaccin atténué co-administré avec le chitosan a permis daméliorer la protection contre les signes cliniques de la maladie mais également de diminuer lexcrétion virale lors dune infection virulente. Cette plus forte protection peut être corrélée avec linduction dune meilleure immunité à médiation cellulaire et une réponse immune locale accrue. Newcastle disease is a highly contagious and devastating condition of poultry. Although good biosecurity and hygiene practices can be sufficient to fight against this disease, the preventive vaccination is thought to be an additional precaution and is rendered compulsory in many European Union countries since the 90 after ND epidemic. Nevertheless, enzootics and epizootics that are sometimes reported point out the limitations of current vaccination regimens. In this context, different approaches have been investigated in order to prevent infection by NDV, reduce the transmission of the virus and eliminate clinical signs and mortality. In this work, we have selected the vaccination at day-old with attenuated ND vaccine and we have attempted to increase its efficacy by the co-administration with chitosan adjuvant and by an in ovo injection of a rHVT-ND vaccine. The aim of this present work was to evaluate the immunity induced by ND vaccination and the establishment of the correlation between the recorded measurement and the protection. These experiments showed the influence of the tropism of the ND vaccine strain on the NDV-specific antibody-mediated immunity in the respiratory and digestive tracts and on the cell-mediated immunity. This NDV-specific cellular immune response was improved by the co-administration of chitosan with the ND attenuated vaccine. It was also observed that the presence of MDA interferes with the establishment of a persisting good protective immunity after a single day-old vaccination. The use of rHVT-ND vaccine applied in ovo as primo-vaccination allowed overcoming this negative interference of MDA. Finally, the innovative rHVT-ND/live ND-chitosan vaccination regimen provided the highest protection against mortality and morbidity as well as the strongest reduction of virus shedding, which could be related to a higher measured cellular immune response and local antibody-mediated immunity.

<p>The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Sutherlandia frutescens on the inflammatory response and T cell differentiation in vitro using cytokines as biomarkers. Whole blood cells containing various concentrations of Sutherlandia frutescens were stimulated in vitro with either Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). Results show that Sutherlandia frutescens is not toxic at any of the concentrations tested. The addition of Sutherlandia frutescens at high concentrations to the stimulated whole blood cell cultures reflects a significant down regulation of Interleukin(IL) 6 and IL-10 compared to the control (P&lt / 0.05) hence suppressed the inflammatory and humoral immune response. Results obtained for Inteferon-gamma (IFN ) shows that Sutherlandia frutescens is donor specific as it reflects both up and down regulation in the release of IFN at the concentrations tested. The in vitro data generated by this study supports the use of Sutherlandia frutescens in the management of inflammatory conditions and allergies such as asthma. However the effects of Sutherlandia frutescens on cell mediated immunity was found to be donor specific. Further investigation of Sutherlandia frutescens on cellular immunity is advised.</p>

<p>The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Sutherlandia frutescens on the inflammatory response and T cell differentiation in vitro using cytokines as biomarkers. Whole blood cells containing various concentrations of Sutherlandia frutescens were stimulated in vitro with either Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). Results show that Sutherlandia frutescens is not toxic at any of the concentrations tested. The addition of Sutherlandia frutescens at high concentrations to the stimulated whole blood cell cultures reflects a significant down regulation of Interleukin(IL) 6 and IL-10 compared to the control (P&lt / 0.05) hence suppressed the inflammatory and humoral immune response. Results obtained for Inteferon-gamma (IFN ) shows that Sutherlandia frutescens is donor specific as it reflects both up and down regulation in the release of IFN at the concentrations tested. The in vitro data generated by this study supports the use of Sutherlandia frutescens in the management of inflammatory conditions and allergies such as asthma. However the effects of Sutherlandia frutescens on cell mediated immunity was found to be donor specific. Further investigation of Sutherlandia frutescens on cellular immunity is advised.</p>