Tumor-Intrinsic or Drug-Induced Immunogenicity Dictates the Therapeutic Success of the PD1/PDL Axis Blockade.

Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has revolutionized cancer treatment providing unprecedented clinical benefits. However, many patients do not respond to ICIs as monotherapy or develop resistance. Combining ICI-based immunotherapy with chemotherapy is a promising strategy to increase response rates, but few rationale-driven chemo-immunotherapy combinations have reached the clinical arena thus far. In the present study, we show that combined anti-PDL1 and anti-PDL2 antibodies optimally synergize with cyclophosphamide but not with cisplatin, and that the magnitude and duration of the therapeutic response is dependent on the immunogenic potential of the drug and of the tumor itself. Hallmarks of successful therapeutic outcomes were the enhanced infiltration by myeloid (mainly cross-presenting dendritic cells, eosinophils, and monocytic myeloid cells) and T lymphocytes into the tumor tissue and the expansion of circulating memory pools. Overall, our results suggest that immunomodulating chemotherapy can be exploited to increase the efficacy of PD1/PDL axis inhibitors in vivo, and that the magnitude of the synergic therapeutic response is affected by tumor-intrinsic immunogenicity.

Chemical fractionation of elements in airborne particulate matter: primary results on PM10 and PM2.5 samples in the Lazio region (central Italy).

This paper describes how a two-step chemical fractionation method that allows the determination of 17 elements in airborne particulate matter, has been applied to a monitoring campaign of PM10 and PM2.5 in the Lazio region (Italy). This method involved an extraction in a pH buffered aqueous solution followed by a microwave-assisted acid digestion of the residue. With respect to the determination of the total elemental contents, the evaluation of a soluble fraction provides more reliable information on the presence and of the destiny of heavy metals in the environment. Furthermore, the pH buffered extraction conditions chosen, rendered the results independent of the intrinsic acidity of the collected samples and, although the chemical fractionation has a purely operational function, it facilitates the study of the relationship between the distribution of solubility and the different emission sources. Results are discussed in relation to the different concentration and the different degrees of solubility of the elements observed in two sampling sites; one in an urban and one in a rural environment. Since in-parallel sampling of PM2.5 and PM10 were performed in both sites, the influence of particle size is also discussed. Behaviour of some tracers deriving from both vehicular traffic, with particular attention to re-suspended road dusts, and naturally generated particulate matter, such as marine aerosol and Saharian dust, are discussed.

Ultrasound and microwave-assisted extraction of metals from sediment: a comparison with the BCR procedure.

In this paper we investigate alternatives to mechanical stirring for the extraction of the mobile fraction of metals from sediment, and analyze whether these techniques can reduce extraction time and improve reproducibility. We compare the quantities of metal extracted from BCR601 and BCR701 certified sediments using ultrasound bath, microwave-assisted extraction and the first step in the certified BCR sequential extraction procedure. Some environmentally important not-certified metals such as As, Mn, Co, Fe and Al have been included in this study. In the case of microwave-assisted extraction, we compare tests in which samples are exposed to constant, low power irradiation with tests using pulsed high power. In the tests using the ultrasound bath, less metal was extracted than with the other extractive techniques and standard deviations were comparable to those obtained with the BCR procedure; in assays using microwaves at constant power, extraction efficiencies were different for different metals and for different reference materials and, in some cases, standard deviations were higher than those for the reference method. In contrast, tests with microwaves and constant temperature produced encouraging results: R.S.D.s lay in the 2-4% range, both for certified and not-certified metals; these values are very low compared to those for the reference method. Extraction efficiencies for certified metals were close to 100% for Cd, Zn, Cu and Ni and around 80% for Pb and Cr.

Complex formation equilibria of some aromatic beta-amino-alcohols.

Complex formation equilibria of some aromatic beta-amino-alcohols with zinc(II), cadmium(II) and silver(I) have been investigated. The structure of the considered ligands (2-amino-1-phenyl-1-propanol, 2-amino-3-phenyl-1-propanol and 2-amino-1,3-propanediol) are similar to some hormones and alcaloids, like adrenaline, noradrenaline and ephedrine, and differ each other for the number and the relative position of alcoholic and phenyl groups. Equilibria constants at 25 degrees C and micro = 0.5 M (KNO3) have been determined by potentiometric titrations. The comparison of the obtained values with those previously determined for some aliphatic beta-amino-alcohols with the same polar heads has allowed to evidence the influence of aromatic ring on the coordinating properties of ligands, which is different depending on the considered metal ion. In particular, two contrasting effects have been evidenced. The electron withdrawing effect of the aromatic ring causes a decrease of amine basicity, more relevant when phenyl and hydroxylic groups are in 1-3 position, which reflects in a reduction of metal-NH2 coordination bond. This effect is predominant in the case of zinc(II) complexes and causes a reduction of complex stability which results directly proportional to the amine group basicity. On the other hand, in the case of silver(I) and cadmium(II) complexes, phenyl group seems to contribute directly to the coordination of the metal ion causing a stabilization of complexes.