Nanobodies in cell-mediated immunotherapy: On the road to fight cancer.

The immune system is essential in recognizing and eliminating tumor cells. The unique characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME), such as heterogeneity, reduced blood flow, hypoxia, and acidity, can reduce the efficacy of cell-mediated immunity. The primary goal of cancer immunotherapy is to modify the immune cells or the TME to enable the immune system to eliminate malignancies successfully. Nanobodies, known as single-domain antibodies, are light chain-free antibody fragments produced from Camelidae antibodies. The unique properties of nanobodies, including high stability, reduced immunogenicity, enhanced infiltration into the TME of solid tumors and facile genetic engineering have led to their promising application in cell-mediated immunotherapy. They can promote the cancer therapy either directly by bridging between tumor cells and immune cells and by targeting cancer cells using immune cell-bound nanobodies or indirectly by blocking the inhibitory ligands/receptors. The T-cell activation can be engaged through anti-CD3 and anti-4-1BB nanobodies in the bispecific (bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs)) and trispecific (trispecific T-cell engager (TriTEs)) manners. Also, nanobodies can be used as natural killer (NK) cell engagers (BiKEs, TriKEs, and TetraKEs) to create an immune synapse between the tumor and NK cells. Nanobodies can redirect immune cells to attack tumor cells through a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) incorporating a nanobody against the target antigen. Various cancer antigens have been targeted by nanobody-based CAR-T and CAR-NK cells for treating both hematological and solid malignancies. They can also cause the continuation of immune surveillance against tumor cells by stopping inappropriate inhibition of immune checkpoints. Other roles of nanobodies in cell-mediated cancer immunotherapy include reprogramming macrophages to reduce metastasis and angiogenesis, as well as preventing the severe side effects occurring in cell-mediated immunotherapy. Here, we highlight the critical functions of various immune cells, including T cells, NK cells, and macrophages in the TME, and discuss newly developed immunotherapy methods based on the targeted manipulation of immune cells and TME with nanobodies.

The evolving direct and indirect platforms for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.

Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 by standard screening measures can reduce the chance of COVID-19 spread before the symptoms become severe. Detecting viral RNA and antigens, anti-viral antibodies, and CT-scan are the most routine diagnostic methods. Accordingly, several diagnostic platforms including thermal and isothermal amplifications, CRISPR/Cas­based approaches, digital PCR, ELISA, NGS, and point-of-care testing methods with variable sensitivities, have been developed that may facilitate managing and preventing the further spread of the infection. Here, we summarized the currently available direct and indirect testing platforms in research and clinical settings, including recent progress in the methods to detect viral RNA, antigens, and specific antibodies. This summary may help in selecting the effective method for a special application sucha as routine laboratory diagnosis, point-of-care tests or tracing the the virus spread and mutations.

TCR-like CARs and TCR-CARs targeting neoepitopes: an emerging potential.

Neoepitopes or neoantigens are a spectrum of unique mutations presented in a particular patient's tumor. Neoepitope-based adoptive therapies have the potential of tumor eradication without undue damaging effect on normal tissues. In this context, methods based on the T cell receptor (TCR) engineering or chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have shown great promise. This review focuses on the TCR-like CARs and TCR-CARs directed against tumor-derived epitopes, with a concerted view on neoepitopes. We also address the current limitations of the field to know how to harness the full benefits of this approach and thereby design a sustained and specific antitumor therapy.

Design and expression of fusion protein consists of HBsAg and Polyepitope of HCV as an HCV potential vaccine.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a serious public health threat worldwide. Cellular immune responses, especially cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs), play a critical role in immune response toward the HCV clearance. Since polytope vaccines have the ability to stimulate the cellular immunity, a recombinant fusion protein was developed in this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The designed fusion protein is composed of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), as an immunocarrier, fused to an HCV polytope sequence. The polytope containing five immunogenic epitopes of HCV was designed to induce specific CTL responses. The construct was cloned into the pET-28a, and its expression was investigated in BL21 (DE3), BL21 pLysS, BL21 pLysE, and BL21 AI Escherichia coli strains using 12% gel sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Finally, the identity of expressed fusion protein was confirmed by Western blotting using anti-His monoclonal antibody and affinity chromatography was applied to purify the expressed protein. RESULTS: The accuracy of the construct was confirmed by restriction map analysis and sequencing. The transformation of the construct into the BL21 (DE3), pLysS, and pLysE E. coli strains did not lead to any expression. The fusion protein was found to be toxic for E. coli DE3. By applying two steps inhibition, the fusion protein was successfully expressed in BL21 (AI) E. coli strain. CONCLUSION: The HBsAg-polytope fusion protein expressed in this study can be further evaluated for its immunogenicity in animal models.

Camel Heavy Chain Polyclonal Antibody Raised Against Recombinant Murine Placental Growth Factor Expressed in Escherichia coli.

Angiogenesis, a neovascularization process, is the most important occurrence in developmental and pathological conditions. Key factors involve belonging to the vascular endothelial growth factor family. Recently, placental growth factor (PlGF) has been considered in medicine because of its pathological importance in solid tumor invasion and metastasis. Therefore, PlGF targeting plays a promising role in the hindrance of tumor progress. In this study, murine PlGF was cloned, expressed in an Escherichia coli system, and used for development of polyclonal camel antibody. Codon-optimized mouse PlGF (mPlGF) cDNA was synthesized and cloned in to pET-28a. The expression was performed in BL21 (DE3) E. coli strain and purified by immobilized metal affinity column chromatography. A camel was subcutaneously immunized six times over a one-week interval using purified protein. IgGs were purified by applying the serum on two sequential column affinity chromatography using proteins A and G. Then, anti-PlGF IgG was identified by Western bolt analysis and ELISA using commercial and expressed PlGF. Synthesized mPlGF was cloned successfully into the pET-28a expression vector, and the accuracy of construct was confirmed by map restriction analysis and sequencing. The expression was induced by 1 mM IPTG and confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot using anti-His monoclonal antibody. The camel was immunized using recombinant mPlGF, and IgG was purified by two-step affinity chromatography. Identification of specific IgG against mPlGF was confirmed by ELISA assay.

MDR1 C3435T polymorphism associated with the development of clinical features in Behçet's disease in Iranian Azeri Turkish patients.

BACKGROUND: Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis of unknown cause with a higher prevalence along the ancient Silk Road. Behçet's occasional familial aggregation and its close association with genes of major histocompatibility complexes justify that genetic factors play an important role in the development of the disease. In this study, we evaluated the association of multidrug resistance (MDR1) C3435T polymorphism with the severity of BD. METHOD: We investigated the distribution of MDR1 C3435T polymorphism in 69 patients from the Iranian Azeri Turks group with BD and 92 ethnically sex-matched healthy controls, via the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. RESULT: Although there was no significant association of MDR1 C3435T polymorphism between two groups of patients and healthy controls, our data showed a substantial association of CC genotype with the development of several clinical features, including erythema nodosum (P = 0.001, OR = 2.686, 95%), pseudofolliculitis (P = 0.002, OR = 2.812, 95%), and skin lesions (P = 0.040, OR = 1.934, 95%). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that CC genotype is a risk factor for the development of some clinical features of BD in patients from the Iranian Azeri Turk ethnic group.

Heart ABCA1 and PPAR- α Genes Expression Responses in Male rats: Effects of High Intensity Treadmill Running Training and Aqueous Extraction of Black Crataegus-Pentaegyna.

INTRODUCTION: Heart as a high metabolic and aerobic tissue is consuming lipid as a fuel for its energy provision at rest during light and moderate exercise, except when lactate level is higher in blood circulation. It has been shown that any type of regular exercise and crataegus species would improve cardiovascular function and minimizes several risk factors via stimulating lipid metabolism by acting on enzymes and genes expression such as ABCA1 and PPAR α which are involving in this process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty Wistar male rats (4-6 weeks old, 140-173 g weight) were used. Animals were randomly classified into training (n = 10) and control (n = 10) groups and then divided into saline-control (SC), saline-training (ST), Crataegus-Pentaegyna -control (CPC), and Crataegus-Pentaegyna -training (CPT) groups. Training groups have performed a high-intensity running program (at 34 m/min (0% grade), 60 min/day, 5 days/week) on a motor-driven treadmill for eight weeks. Animals were orally fed with Crataegus-Pentaegyna extraction (500mg/kg) and saline solution for six weeks. Seventy- two hours after the last training session, rats were sacrificed, hearts were excised, cleaned and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80 °C until RNA extraction. Plasma also was collected for plasma variable measurements. Statistical analysis was performed using a two way analysis of variance, and significance was accepted at P < 0.05. RESULTS: A non-significant (P < 0.4, P < 0.79, respectively) increase in ABCA1 and PPAR α genes expression was accompanied by a significant (P < 0.01, P < 0.04, P < 0.04, respectively) reduction in TC, TG, and VLDL-C levels in Crataegus-Pentaegyna groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that a high intensity treadmill running was able to express ABCA1 and PPAR α in rat heart. Data also possibly indicate that the Crataeguse-Pentaegyna supplementation solely could mimic training effect on the mentioned genes and lipid profiles via different mechanism(s).