Heier I, Hofgaard PO,
Brandtaeg P, Jahnsen FL, Karlsson M.
. Links
Depletion of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells inhibits local tumour
growth in a mouse model of B cell lymphoma.
Clin Exp Immunol. 2008 May;152(2):381-7. Epub 2008 Mar

Regulatory T cells (T(regs)) may inhibit immunity against cancer.
 Induction and expansion of T(regs) in the immunosuppressive
microenvironment created by a growing tumour appear to be one
 of the mechanisms by which it can evade host defence. We studied
the impact of CD25+ T(regs) in a B cell lymphoma model in which
Rag2-/- mice received adoptive transfer of wild-type spleen cells
with or without CD25+ cells, and concurrently subcutaneous
inoculation of the B cell lymphoma cell line A20. We also examined
the effect of engaging the glucocorticoid-induced tumour necrosis
 factor receptor (GITR) - an approach reported previously to abrogate
 the suppressive effects of T(regs). Mice that received spleen cells
 depleted of CD25+ T(regs) showed significantly slower tumour growth
 and increased survival compared with mice that received unsorted
spleen cells. The T(reg)-depleted group also had significantly more
 CD8+ T cells infiltrating the tumours and higher levels of serum
immunoglobulin G subclasses. The anti-GITR treatment had no significant
 effect on tumour growth, survival or immunoglobulin production. In
the CD25-depleted group four of 10 mice developed clinical signs of
autoimmunity, in contrast to none in the non-depleted group. Forkhead
 box P3+ T cells were found in tumour-draining lymph nodes in mice
in the CD25-depleted group, suggesting an in vivo induction or
expansion of rare transferred donor T(regs). Thus, our study showed
 that removal of CD25+ T(regs) enhanced anti-tumour immunity against
local growth of a B cell lymphoma and that induction or expansion of
 T(regs) could be one mechanism by which the growing tumour evades
immune surveillance.

Categories: News, Publications by Björn Risberg
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Holt PG, Strickland DH, Wikström ME, Jahnsen FL.
Regulation of immunological homeostasis in the respiratory tract.
Nat Rev Immunol. 2008 Feb;8(2):142-52. Links
Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Centre for Child Health
 Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Western
Australia. patrick@ichr.uwa.edu.au

The respiratory tract has an approximate surface area of 70 m2 in
adult humans, which is in virtually direct contact with the outside
 environment. It contains a uniquely rich vascular bed containing
a large pool of marginated T cells, and harbours a layer of
single-cell-thick epithelial tissue through which re-oxygenation
of blood must occur uninterrupted for survival. It is therefore
not surprising that the respiratory tract is never more than a short
 step away from disaster. We have only a partial understanding of
 how immunological homeostasis is maintained in these tissues, but
it is becoming clear that the immune system has evolved a range of
specific mechanisms to deal with the unique problems encountered
 in this specialized microenvironment.

Categories: News, Publications by Björn Risberg
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Heier I, Malmström K, Pelkonen AS,
Malmberg SP, Kajosaari M, Turpeinen M, Lindahl H, Brandtzaeg P, Jahnsen FL,
Mäkelä MJ.
Bronchial response pattern of antigen presenting cells and regulatory
T cells in children below two years of age.
Thorax. 2008 Feb 4. [Epub ahead of print]

A well-developed HLA-DR+ network of antigen presenting cells
 was present in all samples, approximately 50% of the cells being
CD68+ macrophages and the remainder various subsets of dendritic cells.
 The density of HLA-DR+ cells increased significantly with age but was
 not related to atopy, clinical symptoms or lung function. Comparing
 the density of antigen-presenting cell subsets and clinical parameters,
 only the number of intraepithelial CD1a+ dendritic cells was
significantly increased in infants who had recently suffered a
respiratory infection. BALT structures were identified in 22 children,
 with no relation to lung function, atopic status or human rhinovirus
 positivity. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells and Foxp3+ Tregs were
 located primarily within these isolated lymphoid follicles.
CONCLUSION: A bronchial network of dendritic cells and macrophages
develops quite rapidly after birth, apparently independent of
clinical symptoms or atopy. The high frequency of BALT structures
containing putative tolerogenic dendritic cells and Tregs suggests
 that these lymphoid follicles play an important role in bronchial
immune homeostasis during infancy.

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Kleinberg L, Holth A, Trope CG, Reich R, Davidson B.
Claudin upregulation in ovarian carcinoma effusions is associated
with poor survival.
Hum Pathol. 2008 May;39(5):747-57.

Davidson B,  Wang TL, Shih IeM, Berner A
Expression of the chromatin remodeling factor Rsf-1 is down-regulated in breast carcinoma effusions.
 Hum Pathol. 2008 Apr;39(4):616-22. Epub 2008 Mar 4

 Davidson B, Hadar R, Schlossberg A, Sternlicht T,
 Slipicevic A, Skrede M, Risberg B, Flørenes VA, Kopolovic J, Reich R.
Expression and clinical role of DJ-1, a negative regulator of PTEN,
in ovarian carcinoma.
Hum Pathol. 2008 Jan;39(1):87-95. Epub 2007 Oct 18. Links

Dong HP, Kleinberg L, Silins I, Flørenes VA, Tropé CG, Risberg B,
Nesland JM, Davidson B.Davidson B
 Death receptor expression is associated with poor response to
 chemotherapy and shorter survival in metastatic ovarian carcinoma.
Cancer. 2008 Jan 1;112(1):84-93.

Categories: News, Publications by Björn Risberg
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