Now Available Online - The August Issue of the
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
The latest issue of the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC) is now available! This issue features three new research articles and highlights several SITC members and their work that is advancing the field of cancer immunotherapy. Below are brief summaries of each of these articles, and SITC invites you to explore the issue in its entirety at: www.immunotherapyofcancer.org.
Immune Evasion in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Current Concepts and Future Directions
Ryan M Teague and Justin Kline
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 2013, 1:13 (27 August 2013)
Insight into the mechanisms of tumor immune evasion has led to advances in therapies that strive to modulate anti-tumor immune responses. Focus has primarily been on solid tumors, but systemic blood cancers such as AML may be particularly amicable to immunotherapy.
"In this article, we review known immune evasion tactics, discuss current and future immunotherapeutic strategies, and extrapolate on how these issues may shape the development of novel treatment options for patients with leukemia," Dr. Kline said.
Click here to read the full abstract and article in JITC.
PET Imaging to Non-Invasively Study Immune Activation Leading to Anti-tumor Responses with a 4-1BB Agonistic Antibody
Helena Escuin-Ordinas, Mark W Elliott, Mohammad Atefi, Michelle Lee, Charles Ng, Liu Wei, Begoña Comin-Anduix, Encarnacion Montecino-Rodriguez, Earl Avramis, Caius Radu, Leslie L Sharp and Antoni Ribas
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 2013, 1:14 (27 August 2013)
Molecular imaging with positron emitting tomography (PET) may allow the non-invasive study of the phamarcodynamic effects of agonistic monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to 4-1BB (CD137). 4-1BB is a member of the tumor necrosis factor family expressed on activated T cells and other immune cells, and activating 4-1BB antibodies are being tested for the treatment of patients with advanced cancers.
"PET imaging allows visualizing how 4-1BB agonistic antibodies induce antitumor immune responses in a mouse model. This approach may be used as a pharmacodynamic readout to guide the development of this class of antibodies in the clinic," Dr. Ribas said.
Click here to read the full abstract and article in JITC.
Anti-PD-1 Antibody Significantly Increases Therapeutic Efficacy of Listeria Monocytogenes (Lm)-LLO Immunotherapy
Mikayel Mkrtichyan, Namju Chong, Rasha Abu Eid, Anu Wallecha, Reshma Singh, John Rothman and Samir N Khleif
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 2013, 1:15 (29 August 2013)
One of the significant tumor immune escape mechanisms and substantial barrier for successful immunotherapy is tumor-mediated inhibition of immune response through cell-to-cell or receptor/ligand interactions. Programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) interaction with its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, is one of the important strategies that many tumors imply to escape immune surveillance. Upon PD-Ls binding to PD-1, T cell receptor (TCR) signaling is dampened, causing inhibition of proliferation, decreased cytokine production, anergy and/or apoptosis. Thus PD-Ls expression by tumor cells serves as a protective mechanism, leading to suppression of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment.
"Lm-LLO immunotherapies have been shown to be therapeutically effective due to their ability to induce potent antigen-specific immune responses. However, it has been demonstrated that infection with Lm leads to up-regulation of PD-L1 on mouse immune cells that can inhibit effector T cells through PD-1/PD-L1 pathway," Dr. Khleif said.
Click here to read the full abstract and article in JITC.
Free Submission in JITC for SITC Members!
Submit your research to JITC for the opportunity to be highlighted in a journal of your peers! SITC offers Society members waived article processing charges through 2013, a $2,230 value, and is welcoming submissions in the following areas and related topics:
- Basic Tumor Immunology:
Tumor antigens, innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune mechanisms, immune regulation, immune response, cancer and inflammation, preclinical models, chemotherapy and radiotherapy interactions with the anti-tumor immune response, oncolytic viruses
- Clinical/Translational Cancer Immunotherapy:
First in man clinical trials, phase II/III clinical studies, immune monitoring investigations, tumor microenvironment, host genetics and clinical outcome, updates on clinical trials
- Immunotherapy Biomarkers:
Predictive/prognostic biomarker studies, gene expression studies in cancer immunotherapy, serological immune biomarkers, multiparameter flow cytometry-defined immune biomarkers, high content immunohistological studies
- Reviews/Editorials:
Triggering discussion on hot topics and innovative concepts
For more information on SITC membership or JITC manuscript submission, visit: www.sitcancer.org/journal.
Highly Accessed Articles Update 
- "Immune Monitoring Using the Predictive Power of Immune Profiles," by Gustafson et. al, was published in the June issue of JITC and has been accessed more than 620 times in the last 30 days, and more than 1,664 times since its publication.
- "Regulation of Immunotherapeutic Products for Cancer and FDA’s Role in Product Development and Clinical Evaluation," by Vatsan et. al, was published in the May issue of JITC and has been accessed more than 540 times within the last 30 days, and more than 2,940 times since its publication.
Congratulations to these authors! To read these articles in full and for more information on JITC, visit: www.sitcancer.org/journal.
