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Autoimmune nodopathy (AN) is a new entity in the field of peripheral neuropathies and is defined by the presence of auto-antibodies against structures of the node of Ranvier combined with specific clinico-pathophysiological features and therapy response in affected patients. The target-specific antibodies do not only serve as diagnostic biomarkers but also for treatment evaluation during follow-up. We report a 66-year-old female patient with various autoimmune diseases, including a history of membranous glomerulonephritis which presented with acute-onset, sensorimotor tetraparesis, cranial nerve involvement, and mild respiratory insufficiency. Under the suspicion of Guillain-Barré syndrome, she received intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) and achieved remission. At 8 months later, she relapsed with now a poor response to IVIg and developed additional features such as severe sensory ataxia, tremor, and neuropathic pain. Anti-contactin-1 IgG2 antibodies were detected, and the diagnosis was reverted to AN. Plasma exchange and rituximab treatment led to a serological remission and corresponding significant clinical improvement, and the therapy was paused. At 2 years after symptom onset, her condition worsened again with sensorimotor symptoms and severe neuropathic pain despite seronegativity for contactin-1. However, serum binding assays to teased nerve fiber staining showed recurring antibody reactivity against paranodal structures. Caspr-1 was identified as a new target antigen via cell-based assay, and high-titer antibodies of the IgG4 subclass were confirmed via ELISA. Hence, a new cycle of plasma exchange and regular rituximab treatment was initiated, with subsequent clinical improvement and serological remission. The serum neurofilament light chain (sNFL) levels were assessed retrospectively and rose and fell together with the antibody titer. This case demonstrates that autoimmunity to (para)nodal structures can reoccur especially in patients prone to autoimmune disorders and can switch its target antigen and subclass in the course of disease. The presence of auto-antibodies against different targets at the node of Ranvier has direct implications for therapeutic management. We suggest a close follow-up of patients with AN after successful therapy. In case of deterioration despite seronegativity, non-specific tests such as teased fiber assays and repeated screening for different target antigens should be considered.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) have emerged as a powerful treatment option for individuals with B cell malignancies but have yet to achieve success in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) due to a lack of safe targets. Here we leveraged an atlas of publicly available RNA-sequencing data of over 500,000 single cells from 15 individuals with AML and tissue from 9 healthy individuals for prediction of target antigens that are expressed on malignant cells but lacking on healthy cells, including T cells. Aided by this high-resolution, single-cell expression approach, we computationally identify colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor and cluster of differentiation 86 as targets for CAR-T cell therapy in AML. Functional validation of these established CAR-T cells shows robust in vitro and in vivo efficacy in cell line- and human-derived AML models with minimal off-target toxicity toward relevant healthy human tissues. This provides a strong rationale for further clinical development. A single-cell screening approach identifies targets for CAR-T cells in acute myeloid leukemia.

Purpose . Surgical resection is the only curative option for pancreatic carcinoma, but disease‐free and overall survival times after surgery are limited due to early tumor recurrence, most often originating from local microscopic tumor residues (R1 resection). The intraoperative identification of microscopic tumor residues within the resection margin in situ could improve surgical performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of fiber‐optic microscopy for detecting microscopic residues in vital pancreatic cancer tissues. Experimental Design . Fresh whole‐mount human pancreatic tissues, histological tissue slides, cell culture, and chorioallantoic membrane xenografts were analyzed. Specimens were stained with selected fluorophore‐conjugated antibodies and studied using conventional wide‐field and self‐designed multicolor fiber‐optic fluorescence microscopy instruments. Results . Whole‐mount vital human tissues and xenografts were stained and imaged using an in situ immunofluorescence protocol. Fiber‐optic microscopy enabled the detection of epitope‐based fluorescence in vital whole‐mount tissue using fluorophore‐conjugated antibodies and enabled visualization of microvascular, epithelial, and malignant tumor cells. Among the selected antigen‐antibody pairs, antibody clones WM59, AY13, and 9C4 were the most promising for fiber‐optic imaging in human tissue samples and for endothelial, tumor and epithelial cell detection. Conclusions . Fresh dissected whole‐mount tissue can be stained using direct exposure to selected antibody clones. Several antibody clones were identified that provided excellent immunofluorescence imaging of labeled structures, such as endothelial, epithelial, or EGFR‐expressing cells. The combination of in situ immunofluorescence staining and fiber‐optic microscopy visualizes structures in vital tissues and could be proposed as an useful tool for the in situ identification of residual tumor mass in patients with a high operative risk for incomplete resection.