Researchers engineer T cells to recognize tumor-specific expression patterns, enhancing tumor response

The advent and advancement of T cell therapy, especially chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells, has demonstrated therapeutic potential in treating previously treatment-resistant tumors. However, few CAR targets are absolutely tumor-specific, resulting in “on-target, off-tumor” toxicities that can be severe. Researchers in the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist […]

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PD-L1 expression in medulloblastoma: An evaluation by subgroup

This study evaluated the expression of PD-L1 and markers of immune mediated resistance in human medulloblastoma, the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. In cell lines, SHH MB, which are low-MYC expressing, demonstrated both constitutive and inducible expression of PD-L1 while those in Group 3/4 that expressed high levels of MYC had only inducible expression. MB expresses low levels of […]

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Brain cells record their activity in gene expression, new study finds

From burning your palm on a hot pan handle to memorizing the name of a new acquaintance, “anytime you experience something, your neurons are active,” says Kelsey Tyssowski, a graduate student in genetics at Harvard Medical School. Different experiences stimulate different patterns of activity in brain cells. Researchers want to track these activity patterns to better understand how the brain […]

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Relaxation response may reduce blood pressure by altering expression of a set of genes

High blood pressure—or hypertension—is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke that affects as many as 100 million Americans and 1 billion people worldwide. Decades of research have demonstrated that the relaxation response—the physiological and psychological opposite of the well-known fight-or-flight stress response that can be achieved through relaxation techniques like yoga or mediation – can reduce blood […]

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