We are examining the effects of a schistosome-derived protein on intestinal immune responses, and have shown that oral administration leads to the rapid appearance of cytokines in lymph.

We are characterising (in collaboration with Sebastian Amigorena) rat lymph exosomes and will determine if they transport intestinally-delivered scrapie ME7.

We have investigated the respective role of IL-10 and IDO, both required for Th1 suppression in this model. As IL-10 has been shown to indirectly dampen Th1 responses through the inhibition of IL-12 production by antigen-presenting-cells, we monitored mRNA expression specific for the inducible chain IL-12 p35 in lymph nodes draining the site of injection or in mesenteric lymph nodes of mice instilled intra-colonically with TNBS. Our results clearly show that IL-12 production early after the onset of the response was unaffected by anti-CTLA-4 treatment. By cont...

We have investigated the respective role of IL-10 and IDO, both required for Th1 suppression in this model. As IL-10 has been shown to indirectly dampen Th1 responses through the inhibition of IL-12 production by antigen-presenting-cells, we monitored mRNA expression specific for the inducible chain IL-12 p35 in lymph nodes draining the site of injection or in mesenteric lymph nodes of mice instilled intra-colonically with TNBS. Our results clearly show that IL-12 production early after the onset of the response was unaffected by anti-CTLA-4 treatment. By cont...

IDO appears critical for the regulation of TNBS colitis upon CTLA-4 engagement, as the beneficial effect of anti-CTLA-4 treatment was lost in IDO-deficient mice. By contrast, the absence of IDO did not alter the course of inflammation in mice injected with TNBS only, an unexpected finding which suggests that IDO-dependent counter-regulation requires other factors/cells in addition to IDO production and T cell activation by TNBS.

The role of IL-10 in the immune response to MTb was studied. We have identified that IL-10 plays an early and transient role in the control of the immune response to MTb and now show that this involves enhanced migration of IFNgamma producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells into the lung rather than enhanced mycobacterial killing. The effects are accompanied by enhanced G-CSF, GM-CSF, TNF, IL-6 and IL-17 levels although the enhanced clearance of bacilli in IL-10 deficient mice we now show is independent of IL-17.

We examined whether plasmacytoid pDC are infected and/or activated by MTb, and whether they play a role in regulating bacterial clearance during acute MTb infection and if so how. We have compared these DC with myeloid DC and macrophages with respect to MTb infection.

A proteomics map of lysosomes purified from non-activated and activated mouse DCs was established.

The crude population of DC is divided into the three known splenic subsets (CD8+, CD4+, DN DC) using Fluorescence activated cell sorting (BD FACS Aria). This procedure allowed to obtain highly pure fractions of each subset. However, because DC are a very rare population, this method is very material- and cost-intensive. Furthermore, it is not surprising that the obtained cell numbers of each subset after isolation are below 107. However, these cell numbers should be sufficient for proteomic investigations. The proteomes of all three subsets using mass spectrometry is in progress.

The crude population of DC is divided into the three known splenic subsets (CD8+, CD4+, DN DC) using Fluorescence activated cell sorting (BD FACS Aria). This procedure allowed to obtain highly pure fractions of each subset. However, because DC are a very rare population, this method is very material- and cost-intensive. Furthermore, it is not surprising that the obtained cell numbers of each subset after isolation are below 107. However, these cell numbers should be sufficient for proteomic investigations. The proteomes of all three subsets using mass spectrometry is in progress.

The crude population of DC was divided into the three known splenic subsets (CD8+, CD4+, DN DC) using Fluorescence activated cell sorting (BD FACS Aria). This procedure allowed to obtain highly pure fractions of each subset. However, because DC are a very rare population, this method is very material- and cost-intensive. Furthermore, it is not surprising that the obtained cell numbers of each subset after isolation are below 107. However, these cell numbers should be sufficient for proteomic investigations. The proteomes of all three subsets using mass spectrometry is in progress.

The group completed the measurements of murine dendritic cell subsets and established an in-depth proteomic map of them. These preliminary results show more than 4500 identified proteins in each subset. All of the known markers like CD11c, CD11b, DEC-205, Langerin, etc. were found according to their differential expression pattern.

DCs pre-loaded in vitro with ICs are at least 1000-fold more potent than ICs injected directly into mice or DCs loaded with the same amount of non-complexed protein. FcgammaRs on DCs were required for efficient priming of Ag-specific CD8+ cells in vivo and induction of tumor protection.

Long peptides which were covalently conjugated to either the TLR2 ligand or TLR9 ligand, Pam3CysSK4 or CpG have been used to study the uptake, antigen presentation, and induction of specific T-cells.

ImmunoVexHSV2 is a product for the prevention of infectious disease, it is a vaccine for genital herpes. In preclinical studies, ImmunoVex HSV2 completely prevents disease and invokes a powerful immune response.

We showed that, in the absence of adjuvants, DEX mediate potent antigen dependent-antitumor effects against preestablished tumors in mice pretreated with immunopotentiating dosing of cyclophosphamide (CTX).

We showed that, in the absence of adjuvants, DEX mediate potent antigen dependent-antitumor effects against preestablished tumors in mice pretreated with immunopotentiating dosing of cyclophosphamide (CTX). CTX could i) abolish the suppressive function of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg), ii) markedly enhance the magnitude of secondary but not primary CTL responsesinduced by DEX vaccines, iii) synergize with DEX in therapy but not prophylaxis tumor models.

CLL-DCV01 is used for multiple injections in patients with previously treated B-cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

These patients with Previously Treated B-cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia are taking part in a clinical study and receive multiple injections of CLL-DCV01.

We studied the response of human MoDC to yeast, spheroplasts, pseudohyphae and spores. Analysis of IL-6, IL-8, TNF?, IL-1?, IFN?, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-12p40 secretion was performed with a multiplex assay.