Publications by authors named "Maria Karvouni"

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne neurotropic virus that causes neurologic disease in both humans and horses. Yet the long-term cellular immune response following natural infection in horses remains poorly understood. This study aims to evaluate the WNV-specific T-cell response in horses recovered from West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND).

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Article Synopsis
  • Adoptive cell therapy using CAR-expressing NK cells shows promise for treating multiple myeloma, but challenges exist due to NK cells expressing the target antigen CD38.
  • Researchers are exploring an approach that monitors CD38 expression during the long-term stimulation of NK cells to optimize the introduction of an affinity-optimized CAR, avoiding self-destruction of the NK cells.
  • The study found that CAR-NK cells effectively attack CD38-positive multiple myeloma cells, suggesting this method could be a powerful immunotherapy for patients with this type of cancer.
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Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable hematological cancer, in which immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has failed due to uncontrollable immune responses in combination therapies and lack of efficacy in monotherapies. Although NK cell-specific checkpoint targets such as NKG2A and KIRs are currently being evaluated in clinical trials, the clinical impact of NK cells on the PD1 cascade is less well understood compared to T cells. Furthermore, while NK cells have effector activity within the TME, under continuous ligand exposure, NK cell dysfunctionality may occur due to interaction of PD1 and its ligand PD-L1.

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Among the polypeptides that comprise the T cell receptor (TCR), only CD3ζ is found in Natural Killer (NK) cells, where it transmits signals from activating receptors such as CD16 and NKp46. NK cells are potent immune cells that recognize target cells through germline-encoded activating and inhibitory receptors. Genetic engineering of NK cells enables tumor-specific antigen recognition and, thus, has a significant promise in adoptive cell therapy.

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Cell therapy is an innovative therapeutic concept where viable cells are implanted, infused, or grafted into a patient to treat impaired or malignant tissues. The term was first introduced circa the 19 century and has since resulted in multiple breakthroughs in different fields of medicine, such as neurology, cardiology, and oncology. Lately, cell and gene therapy are merging to provide cell products with additional or enhanced properties.

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Introduction: Recent studies have reported that the quarantine imposed in several countries around the world due to Covid-19 affected the sexual function and relationship quality. On the March 23, 2020 the Greek government imposed a national quarantine to contain the spread of the pandemic. The impact of such conditions on sexual function and relationship quality of couples is unknown.

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Approximately 20% of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients harbor t(11;14), a marker of inferior prognosis, resulting in up-regulation of CCND1. These patients respond to BCL2 inhibitor experimental drug venetoclax. Furthermore, t(11;14) is reported to be associated with increased BCL2/MCL1 ratio.

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Chemokines govern leukocyte migration by attracting cells that express their cognate ligands. Many cancer types show altered chemokine secretion profiles, favoring the recruitment of pro-tumorigenic immune cells and preventing the accumulation of anti-tumorigenic effector cells. This can ultimately result in cancer immune evasion.

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