Foxp3-expressing CD25+CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are abundant in tumor tissues. Here, hypothesizing that tumor Tregs would clonally expand after they are activated by tumor-associated antigens to suppress antitumor immune responses, we performed single-cell analysis on tumor Tregs to characterize them by T cell receptor clonotype and gene-expression profiles. We found that multiclonal Tregs present in tumor tissues predominantly expressed the chemokine receptor CCR8. In mice and humans, CCR8+ Tregs constituted 30 to 80% of tumor Tregs in various cancers and less than 10% of Tregs in other tissues, whereas most tumor-infiltrating conventional T cells (Tconvs) were CCR8–. CCR8+ tumor Tregs were highly differentiated and functionally stable. Administration of cell-depleting anti-CCR8 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) indeed selectively eliminated multiclonal tumor Tregs, leading to cure of established tumors in mice. The treatment resulted in the expansion of CD8+ effector Tconvs, including tumor antigen-specific ones, that were more activated and less exhausted than those induced by PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade. Anti-CCR8 mAb treatment also evoked strong secondary immune responses against the same tumor cell line inoculated several months after tumor eradication, indicating that elimination of tumor-reactive multiclonal Tregs was sufficient to induce memory-type tumor-specific effector Tconvs. Despite induction of such potent tumor immunity, anti-CCR8 mAb treatment elicited minimal autoimmunity in mice, contrasting with systemic Treg depletion, which eradicated tumors but induced severe autoimmune disease. Thus, specific removal of clonally expanding Tregs in tumor tissues for a limited period by cell-depleting anti-CCR8 mAb treatment can generate potent tumor immunity with long-lasting memory and without deleterious autoimmunity.

A two-dimensional analog of the Merrifield model of the coupling between the Frenkel and charge transfer (CT) excitations of a molecular crystal is applied for the calculation of the electroabsorption (EA) spectra of polyacene crystals. The approach is essentially nonempirical, with most of the necessary input data estimated either from theoretical calculations or from independent experiments. Good quantitative reproduction of the experimental EA spectra is achieved, both in their absolute amplitude and intensity pattern. The large amplitude of the Frenkel exciton part of the spectra is successfully accounted for without the necessity to invoke anomalously large molecular polarizabilities. Some basic assumptions of previous analyses are shown to be invalid and future prospects of the new approach are discussed.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

The sensitivity of the determination of iron in natural waters, including seawater, using cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) with adsorptive collection of complexes with 1-nitroso-2-naphthol is greatly enhanced by catalytic reoxidation in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The limit of detection is lowered to 0.16 nM Fe (using an adsorption time of 60 s) and further to 0.03 nM Fe by increasing the adsorption time to 10 min. Interference from an increase in the background current, brought about by catalysis of the hydrogen evolution, is overcome by addition of an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)). Optimal conditions include a hydrogen peroxide concentration of 1.8 mM and 5 ppm SDS. Procedures to p u r e the reagents from contaminant levels of iron are described. The method is successfully applied to certified seawater and samples from the North Atlantic.

No abstract

No abstract