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Cancer Vaccines: Antigen Selection Strategy. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9020085. [PMID: 33503926 PMCID: PMC7911511 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9020085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Unlike traditional cancer therapies, cancer vaccines (CVs) harness a high specificity of the host’s immunity to kill tumor cells. CVs can train and bolster the patient’s immune system to recognize and eliminate malignant cells by enhancing immune cells’ identification of antigens expressed on cancer cells. Various features of antigens like immunogenicity and avidity influence the efficacy of CVs. Therefore, the choice and application of antigens play a critical role in establishing and developing CVs. Tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), a group of proteins expressed at elevated levels in tumor cells but lower levels in healthy normal cells, have been well-studied and developed in CVs. However, immunological tolerance, HLA restriction, and adverse events are major obstacles that threaten TAA-based CVs’ efficacy due to the “self-protein” characteristic of TAAs. As “abnormal proteins” that are completely absent from normal cells, tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) can trigger a robust immune response against tumor cells with high specificity and without going through central tolerance, contributing to cancer vaccine development feasibility. In this review, we focus on the unique features of TAAs and TSAs and their application in vaccines, summarizing their performance in preclinical and clinical trials.
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Savelyeva N, Allen A, Chotprakaikiat W, Harden E, Jobsri J, Godeseth R, Wang Y, Stevenson F, Ottensmeier C. Linked CD4 T Cell Help: Broadening Immune Attack Against Cancer by Vaccination. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2019; 405:123-143. [PMID: 27704269 DOI: 10.1007/82_2016_500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the last decade, immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies targeting immunological check points has become a breakthrough therapeutic modality for solid cancers. However, only up to 50 % of patients benefit from this powerful approach. For others vaccination might provide a plausible addition or alternative. For induction of effective anticancer immunity CD4+ T cell help is required, which is often difficult to induce to self cancer targets because of tolerogenic mechanisms. Our approach for cancer vaccines has been to incorporate into the vaccine design sequences able to activate foreign T cell help, through genetically linking cancer targets to microbial sequences (King et al. in Nat Med 4(11):1281-1286, 1998; Savelyeva et al. in Nat Biotechnol 19(8):760-764, 2001). This harnesses the non-tolerized CD4 T cell repertoire available in patients to help induction of effective immunity against fused cancer antigens. Multiple immune effector mechanisms including antibody, CD8+ T cells as well as CD4 effector T cells can be activated using this strategy. Delivery via DNA vaccines has already indicated clinical efficacy. The same principle of linked T cell help has now been transferred to other novel vaccine modalities to further potentiate immunity against cancer targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Savelyeva
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
| | - Alex Allen
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Warayut Chotprakaikiat
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
- Oral Biology Department, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Elena Harden
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Jantipa Jobsri
- Oral Biology Department, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Rosemary Godeseth
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Yidao Wang
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Freda Stevenson
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Christian Ottensmeier
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK
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Li X, Bu X. Progress in Vaccine Therapies for Breast Cancer. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 1026:315-330. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-6020-5_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Chotprakaikiat W, Allen A, Bui-Minh D, Harden E, Jobsri J, Cavallo F, Gleba Y, Stevenson FK, Ottensmeier C, Klimyuk V, Savelyeva N. A plant-expressed conjugate vaccine breaks CD4(+) tolerance and induces potent immunity against metastatic Her2(+) breast cancer. Oncoimmunology 2016; 5:e1166323. [PMID: 27471642 PMCID: PMC4938312 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2016.1166323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Revised: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Passive antibody therapy for cancer is an effective but costly treatment modality. Induction of therapeutically potent anticancer antibodies by active vaccination is an attractive alternative but has proven challenging in cancer due to tolerogenic pressure in patients. Here, we used the clinically relevant cancer target Her2, known to be susceptible to targeting by antibody therapy, to demonstrate how potent antibody can be induced by vaccination. A novel 44kD Her2 protein fragment was generated and found to be highly effective at inducing anti-Her2 antibody including trastuzumab-like reactivities. In the tolerant and spontaneous BALB-neuT mouse model of metastatic breast cancer this Her2-targeting vaccine was only effective if the fragment was conjugated to a foreign immunogenic carrier; Fragment C of tetanus toxin. Only the conjugate vaccine induced high affinity anti-Her2 antibody of multiple isotypes and suppressed tumor development. The magnitude of CD4(+) T-cell help and breadth of cytokines secreted by the CD4(+) T helper (Th) cells induced to the foreign antigen was critical. We used a highly efficient plant-based bio-manufacturing process for protein antigens, magnICON, for vaccine expression, to underpin feasibility of future clinical testing. Hence, our novel Her2-targeting conjugate vaccine combines preclinical efficacy with clinical deliverability, thus setting the scene for therapeutic testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alex Allen
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | | | - Elena Harden
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Jantipa Jobsri
- Oral Biology Department, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Federica Cavallo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Freda K. Stevenson
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Christian Ottensmeier
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | | | - Natalia Savelyeva
- Cancer Sciences Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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Abstract
DNA vaccination has emerged as an attractive immunotherapeutic approach against cancer
due to its simplicity, stability, and safety. Results from numerous clinical trials have
demonstrated that DNA vaccines are well tolerated by patients and do not trigger major
adverse effects. DNA vaccines are also very cost effective and can be administered
repeatedly for long-term protection. Despite all the practical advantages, DNA vaccines
face challenges in inducing potent antigen specific cellular immune responses as a result
of immune tolerance against endogenous self-antigens in tumors. Strategies to enhance
immunogenicity of DNA vaccines against self-antigens have been investigated including
encoding of xenogeneic versions of antigens, fusion of antigens to molecules that activate
T cells or trigger associative recognition, priming with DNA vectors followed by boosting
with viral vector, and utilization of immunomodulatory molecules. This review will focus
on discussing strategies that circumvent immune tolerance and provide updates on findings
from recent clinical trials.
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Key Words
- APCs, antigen presenting cells
- CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen
- CIN, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
- CT antigens, cancer-testis antigens
- CTLs, cytotoxic lymphocytes
- DNA vaccines
- DOM, fragment c domain
- EP, electroporation
- GITR, glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor family-related genes
- HER2, Her2/neu
- HSP70, heat shock protein 70
- IFNs, interferons
- IRF, interferon regulatory factor
- Id, idiotype
- MHC, major histocompatibility complex
- Mam-A, Mammaglobin-A
- NHP, non-human primate
- PAP, Prostatic acid phosphatase
- PMED, particle mediated epidermal delivery
- PSMA, prostate-specific membrane antigen
- SCT, single-chain trimer
- STING, stimulator of interferon genes
- TAAs, tumor-associated antigens
- TBK1, Tank-binding kinase 1
- TLRs, Toll-like receptors
- TT, tetanus toxin
- Trp2, tyrosinase related protein 2
- cellular immune response
- hTERT, human telomerase reverse transcriptase
- humoral immune response
- immune tolerance
- phTERT, optimized full-length hTERT
- tumor antigens
- vaccine delivery
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Yang
- a Department of Pathology ; Johns Hopkins University ; Baltimore , MD USA
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Trujillo JA, Croft NP, Dudek NL, Channappanavar R, Theodossis A, Webb AI, Dunstone MA, Illing PT, Butler NS, Fett C, Tscharke DC, Rossjohn J, Perlman S, Purcell AW. The cellular redox environment alters antigen presentation. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:27979-91. [PMID: 25135637 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.573402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cysteine-containing peptides represent an important class of T cell epitopes, yet their prevalence remains underestimated. We have established and interrogated a database of around 70,000 naturally processed MHC-bound peptides and demonstrate that cysteine-containing peptides are presented on the surface of cells in an MHC allomorph-dependent manner and comprise on average 5-10% of the immunopeptidome. A significant proportion of these peptides are oxidatively modified, most commonly through covalent linkage with the antioxidant glutathione. Unlike some of the previously reported cysteine-based modifications, this represents a true physiological alteration of cysteine residues. Furthermore, our results suggest that alterations in the cellular redox state induced by viral infection are communicated to the immune system through the presentation of S-glutathionylated viral peptides, resulting in altered T cell recognition. Our data provide a structural basis for how the glutathione modification alters recognition by virus-specific T cells. Collectively, these results suggest that oxidative stress represents a mechanism for modulating the virus-specific T cell response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan A Trujillo
- From the Department of Microbiology and the Interdisciplinary Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
| | - Nathan P Croft
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and
| | - Nadine L Dudek
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and
| | | | | | - Andrew I Webb
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | | | - Patricia T Illing
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Noah S Butler
- From the Department of Microbiology and the Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia, and
| | | | - David C Tscharke
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Jamie Rossjohn
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia, the Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University, School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, United Kingdom
| | - Stanley Perlman
- From the Department of Microbiology and the Interdisciplinary Program in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242,
| | - Anthony W Purcell
- the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia, the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and
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Liechtenstein T, Perez-Janices N, Blanco-Luquin I, Goyvaerts C, Schwarze J, Dufait I, Lanna A, Ridder MD, Guerrero-Setas D, Breckpot K, Escors D. Anti-melanoma vaccines engineered to simultaneously modulate cytokine priming and silence PD-L1 characterized using ex vivo myeloid-derived suppressor cells as a readout of therapeutic efficacy. Oncoimmunology 2014; 3:e945378. [PMID: 25954597 DOI: 10.4161/21624011.2014.945378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Accepted: 05/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Efficacious antitumor vaccines strongly stimulate cancer-specific effector T cells and counteract the activity of tumor-infiltrating immunosuppressive cells. We hypothesised that combining cytokine expression with silencing programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) could potentiate anticancer immune responses of lentivector vaccines. Thus, we engineered a collection of lentivectors that simultaneously co-expressed an antigen, a PD-L1-silencing shRNA, and various T cell-polarising cytokines, including interferon γ (IFNγ), transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) or interleukins (IL12, IL15, IL23, IL17A, IL6, IL10, IL4). In a syngeneic B16F0 melanoma model and using tyrosinase related protein 1 (TRP1) as a vaccine antigen, we found that simultaneous delivery of IL12 and a PD-L1-silencing shRNA was the only combination that exhibited therapeutically relevant anti-melanoma activities. Mechanistically, we found that delivery of the PD-L1 silencing construct boosted T cell numbers, inhibited in vivo tumor growth and strongly cooperated with IL12 cytokine priming and antitumor activities. Finally, we tested the capacities of our vaccines to counteract tumor-infiltrating myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) activities ex vivo. Interestingly, the lentivector co-expressing IL12 and the PD-L1 silencing shRNA was the only one that counteracted MDSC suppressive activities, potentially underlying the observed anti-melanoma therapeutic benefit. We conclude that (1) evaluation of vaccines in healthy mice has no significant predictive value for the selection of anticancer treatments; (2) B16 cells expressing xenoantigens as a tumor model are of limited value; and (3) vaccines which inhibit the suppressive effect of MDSC on T cells in our ex vivo assay show promising and relevant antitumor activities.
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Key Words
- 142 3p, target sequence for the microRNA 142 3p
- DC, dendritic cell
- G-MDSC, granulocytic MDSC
- IL, interleukin
- IiOVA, MHC II invariant chain-ovalbumin
- M-MDS, monocytic MDSC
- MDSC
- MDSC, myeloid-derived suppressor cell
- MLR, mixed lymphocyte reaction
- OVA, chicken ovalbumin
- PD-1, programmed cell death 1
- PD-L1
- PD-L1, programmed cell death 1 ligand 1
- T cell
- TAA, tumor associated antigen
- TCR, T cell receptor
- TRP1, tyrosinase related protein 1;
- TRP2, tyrosinase related protein 2
- Th, T helper lymphocyte
- immunotherapy
- melanoma
- p1, PD-L1-targeted microRNA
- shRNA, short hairpin RNA
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Affiliation(s)
- Therese Liechtenstein
- Division of infection and immunity; Rayne Institute; University College London ; London, UK ; Immunomodulation group; Navarrabiomed-Fundacion Miguel Servet ; Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
| | - Noemi Perez-Janices
- Division of infection and immunity; Rayne Institute; University College London ; London, UK ; Cancer Epigenetics group; Navarrabiomed-Fundacion Miguel Servet ; Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
| | - Idoia Blanco-Luquin
- Cancer Epigenetics group; Navarrabiomed-Fundacion Miguel Servet ; Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
| | - Cleo Goyvaerts
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy; Department of Physiology-Immunology; Vrije Universiteit Brussel ; Jette, Belgium
| | - Julia Schwarze
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy; Department of Physiology-Immunology; Vrije Universiteit Brussel ; Jette, Belgium
| | - Ines Dufait
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy; Department of Physiology-Immunology; Vrije Universiteit Brussel ; Jette, Belgium ; Department of Radiotherapy; Vrije Universiteit Brussel ; Jette, Belgium
| | - Alessio Lanna
- Division of infection and immunity; Rayne Institute; University College London ; London, UK
| | - Mark De Ridder
- Department of Radiotherapy; Vrije Universiteit Brussel ; Jette, Belgium
| | - David Guerrero-Setas
- Cancer Epigenetics group; Navarrabiomed-Fundacion Miguel Servet ; Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
| | - Karine Breckpot
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy; Department of Physiology-Immunology; Vrije Universiteit Brussel ; Jette, Belgium
| | - David Escors
- Division of infection and immunity; Rayne Institute; University College London ; London, UK ; Immunomodulation group; Navarrabiomed-Fundacion Miguel Servet ; Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
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Tumour immunogenicity, antigen presentation and immunological barriers in cancer immunotherapy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 2014. [PMID: 24634791 DOI: 10.1155/2014/734515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Since the beginning of the 20th century, scientists have tried to stimulate the anti-tumour activities of the immune system to fight against cancer. However, the scientific effort devoted on the development of cancer immunotherapy has not been translated into the expected clinical success. On the contrary, classical anti-neoplastic treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the first line of treatment. Nevertheless, there is compelling evidence on the immunogenicity of cancer cells, and the capacity of the immune system to expand cancer-specific effector cytotoxic T cells. However, the effective activation of anti-cancer T cell responses strongly depends on efficient tumour antigen presentation from professional antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DCs). Several strategies have been used to boost DC antigen presenting functions, but at the end cancer immunotherapy is not as effective as would be expected according to preclinical models. In this review we comment on these discrepancies, focusing our attention on the contribution of regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells to the lack of therapeutic success of DC-based cancer immunotherapy.
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Abstract
The success of immunotherapy against infectious diseases has shown us the powerful potential that such a treatment offers, and substantial work has been done to apply this strategy in the fight against cancer. Cancer is however a fiercer opponent than pathogen-caused diseases due to natural tolerance towards tumour associated antigens and tumour-induced immunosuppression. Recent gene therapy clinical trials with viral vectors have shown clinical efficacy in the correction of genetic diseases, HIV and cancer. The first successful gene therapy clinical trials were carried out with onco(γ-)retroviral vectors but oncogenesis by insertional mutagenesis appeared as a serious complication. Lentiviral vectors have emerged as a potentially safer strategy, and recently the first clinical trial of patients with advanced leukemia using lentiviral vectors has proven successful. Additionally, therapeutic lentivectors have shown clinical efficacy for the treatment of HIV, X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, and β-thalassaemia. This review aims at describing lentivectors and how they can be utilized to boost anti-tumour immune responses by manipulating the effector immune cells.
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Liechtenstein T, Perez-Janices N, Bricogne C, Lanna A, Dufait I, Goyvaerts C, Laranga R, Padella A, Arce F, Baratchian M, Ramirez N, Lopez N, Kochan G, Blanco-Luquin I, Guerrero-Setas D, Breckpot K, Escors D. Immune modulation by genetic modification of dendritic cells with lentiviral vectors. Virus Res 2013; 176:1-15. [PMID: 23726846 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2013.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2013] [Revised: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 05/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Our work over the past eight years has focused on the use of HIV-1 lentiviral vectors (lentivectors) for the genetic modification of dendritic cells (DCs) to control their functions in immune modulation. DCs are key professional antigen presenting cells which regulate the activity of most effector immune cells, including T, B and NK cells. Their genetic modification provides the means for the development of targeted therapies towards cancer and autoimmune disease. We have been modulating with lentivectors the activity of intracellular signalling pathways and co-stimulation during antigen presentation to T cells, to fine-tune the type and strength of the immune response. In the course of our research, we have found unexpected results such as the surprising immunosuppressive role of anti-viral signalling pathways, and the close link between negative co-stimulation in the immunological synapse and T cell receptor trafficking. Here we review our major findings and put them into context with other published work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Therese Liechtenstein
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Rayne Institute, University College London, London, UK
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