Institute Seminar Wednesday, August 25th, 12 o’clock, on Zoom: Johanna Olweus, Department of Cancer Immunology
The first institute seminar for the autumn season of 2021 will be held by Johanna Olweus, Department of Cancer Immunology. Title of her lecture:
Targeting acute lymphocytic leukemia of T and B cell origin with a T cell receptor specific for an intracellular, tissue-specific protein
Time: Wedneday, August 25th, 12 o’clock
Place: on Zoom
Abstract:
Targeting acute lymphocytic leukemia of T and B cell origin with a T cell receptor specific for an intracellular, tissue-specific protein
Unlike chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), T-cell receptors (TCRs) can recognize intracellular targets presented on MHC (tissue type) molecules. This vastly increases the number of potential therapeutic targets in cancer immunotherapy. Tissue specific targets highly expressed in cancer cells could be attractive targets, but immune tolerance to our own normal proteins makes it difficult to find efficacious TCRs. We have developed a technology whereby we utilize the mechanism of graft rejection to transplants to identify TCRs that can strongly recognize normal self-proteins. I will present data showing that such TCRs recognizing a lymphoid-specific enzyme specifically and efficiently can eliminate primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells of T- and B-cell origin in vitro and in mouse models of disseminated B-ALL. By contrast, the treatment spares normal peripheral T- and B-cell repertoires and normal myeloid cells in vitro, and in vivo in humanized mice. T cells modified to express these TCRs may be a promising immunotherapy for B-ALL and T-ALL that preserves normal lymphocytes.
Links:
The Experimental Immunotherapy Group, headed by Johanna Olweus
Institute seminar overview autumn season 2021
On behalf of the organizing commitee 2021:
Anette Weyergang
Tord Hompland
Helga B. Landsverk
Department of Radiation Biology