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Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that mostly occurs in people between the ages of 30-40. It accounts for 5-7% of all aggressive lymphomas. The diagnosis of PMBCL is challenging as the histological features of PMBCL overlap with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), another most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Available evidence suggests that PMBCL responds much more favorably to the DA-EPOCH-R chemotherapy regimen than to the standard R-CHOP regimen used to treat DLBCL.

Nanoparticles such as lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs) represent a relatively new era of targeted drug delivery systems wherein these biocompatible particles can carry the drug(s) of interest to a specific tumor site. The new generation of nanoparticles, known as stealth nanoparticles, are engineered to have a coating of polyethylene glycol polymer (PEG) or other glycolipids that enable them to evade the immune system and have a longer circulation lifespan as well as improved bioavailability to diseased tissue and reduced non-specific toxicity.
 

Cancer cells can spread to various regions in the body in a process called metastasis which is associated with non-responsive to treatment and thus reduced survival. Identifying the markers of metastasis has been a major concern in the field of cancer diagnosis and therapy. Interestingly, research has shown that there is an increase in myeloid progenitors and myeloid cells at various stages of metastasis in an attempt by the immune system to  suppress cancer cells. This presents a promising technology for cancer immunotherapy.

Research and development leading to the discovery of novel antibiotics has waned in recent years. At the same time, the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance has compounded the global danger to human health from bacterial infections. 

Cancer cells can upregulate autophagy – cell destruction – as a response to chemotherapy. Investigators in Dr. Melvin DePamphilis’ laboratory at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) have shown that compounds identified by screening a library of compounds blocks autophagy in some cancer cells (e.g., melanoma) but are not toxic to normal cells. Cancer cells with mutations in the BRAF oncogene are especially dependent on autophagy. Treatment of cancer cells with the BRAF mutation can increase the efficacy of chemotherapy.

T cell immunotherapy is used in the treatment of various pathologies – including cancers and infections. Current therapies employ chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) consisting of the intracellular fragment of CD3-zeta as the signaling domain with varied combinations of co-stimulatory, transmembrane, spacer/hinge, and extracellular targeting domains. While effective in treating hematological malignancies, CAR T cells need to be activated through T cell receptor (TCR) activation.

Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) and T-cell receptor (TCR) therapies use lymphocytes that target somatic mutations expressed by tumors cells to treat cancer patients. One of the challenges of these therapies is the identification and isolation of mutation-specific cells and TCRs. While neoantigen specific cells are relatively abundant in the tumor, they are far less common in peripheral blood, a more accessible source of T cells. 

The treatment of cancer using immunotherapies has garnered substantial attention and excitement considering the clinical benefits observed in patient populations previously refractory to treatment. Tumor infiltrating T cells can significantly impact cancer progression and immunotherapy response; however, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments can impede antitumor T cell induction, trafficking, and local activity. Thus, personalized immunotherapy approaches have shown limited efficacy against most solid tumors.

The chemokine receptor, CCR4 is a seven transmembrane G protein-coupled cell surface receptor molecule with selective expression on cells of the hematopoietic system. In adult T cell leukemia (ATL), the cell-surface expression of CCR4 on leukemic cells has been found to be nearly universal. Therefore, a CCR4-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) -cell may provide an effective therapeutic against ATL.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer covering anatomic surfaces (e.g. lining of the lungs, heart, abdomen, etc.) that resists multi-modality therapies. Regional recurrence of mesothelioma from residual tumor cells prevents long-term benefits after surgical resection. Furthermore, there is no clinical consensus on intracavitary adjuvants that are effective in extending the tumor reduction effect of surgery.