Defining the principles of T cell migration in structurally and mechanically complex tumor microenvironments is critical to understanding escape from antitumor immunity and optimizing T cell-related therapeutic strategies. Here, we engineered nanotextured elastic platforms to study and enhance T cell migration through complex microenvironments and define how the balance between contractility localization-dependent T cell phenotypes influences migration in response to tumor-mimetic structural and mechanical cues. Using these platforms, we characterize a mechanical optimum for migration that can be perturbed by manipulating an axis between microtubule stability and force generation. In 3D environments and live tumors, we demonstrate that microtubule instability, leading to increased Rho pathway-dependent cortical contractility, promotes migration whereas clinically used microtubule-stabilizing chemotherapies profoundly decrease effective migration. We show that rational manipulation of the microtubule-contractility axis, either pharmacologically or through genome engineering, results in engineered T cells that more effectively move through and interrogate 3D matrix and tumor volumes. Thus, engineering cells to better navigate through 3D microenvironments could be part of an effective strategy to enhance efficacy of immune therapeutics.

Contact guidance due to extracellular matrix architecture is a key regulator of carcinoma invasion and metastasis, yet our understanding of how cells sense guidance cues is limited. Here, using a platform with variable stiffness that facilitates uniaxial or biaxial matrix cues, or competing E-cadherin adhesions, we demonstrate distinct mechanoresponsive behavior. Through disruption of traction forces, we observe a profound phenotypic shift towards a mode of dendritic protrusion and identify bimodal processes that govern guidance sensing. In contractile cells, guidance sensing is strongly dependent on formins and FAK signaling and can be perturbed by disrupting microtubule dynamics, while low traction conditions initiate fluidic-like dendritic protrusions that are dependent on Arp2/3. Concomitant disruption of these bimodal mechanisms completely abrogates the contact guidance response. Thus, guidance sensing in carcinoma cells depends on both environment architecture and mechanical properties and targeting the bimodal responses may provide a rational strategy for disrupting metastatic behavior.

Hypersensitivity vasculitis (HV) or leukocytoclastic vasculitis is a rare small-vessel vasculitis that may occur as a manifestation of the body’s extreme allergic reaction to a drug, infection, or other foreign substance. Characterized by the presence of inflammatory neutrophils in vessel walls, HV results in inflammation and damage to blood vessels, primarily in the skin. Histologically, when neutrophils undergo leukocytoclasia and release nuclear debris into the vasculature, vascular damage manifests as palpable purpura. The incidence of HV is unknown and its relationship and interaction with certain vaccinations is rare and poorly understood. Affected patients with HV generally have a good prognosis; however, fatality may occur if organs such as the central nervous system, heart, lungs, or kidneys are involved. We report a unique case of a 60-year-old man who presented with a serious case of HV after receiving the herpes zoster vaccine. A thorough literature review yielded only one similar case of vascular reaction to the varicella vaccine that was reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 1997; however, no other reported cases with regard to the herpes zoster vaccine have been found. Our case presents a rare glimpse into HV that may result from varicella vaccine administration.

Many autoimmune diseases can affect the central nervous system, and their varying clinical presentations often confound a straightforward diagnosis. In this report, we describe a unique presentation of CLIPPERS syndrome. To our knowledge, this is the first case to demonstrate significant supratentorial involvement with symmetric and non-confluent lesions in the medial orbitofrontal cortex; additionally, this is the second case to describe an association between diagnoses of hypothyroidism and CLIPPERS.

Defining the principles of T cell migration in structurally and mechanically complex tumor microenvironments is critical to understanding sanctuaries from antitumor immunity and optimizing T cell-related therapeutic strategies. To enhance T cell migration through complex microenvironments, we engineered nanotextured platforms that allowed us to define how the balance between T cell phenotypes influences migration in response to tumor-mimetic structural and mechanical cues and characterize a mechanical optimum for migration that can be perturbed by manipulating an axis between microtubule stability and force generation. In 3D environments and live tumors, we demonstrate that microtubules instability, leading to increased Rho pathway-dependent cell contractility, promotes migration while clinically used microtubule-targeting chemotherapies profoundly decrease effective migration. Indeed, we show that rational manipulation of the microtubule-contractility axis, either pharmacologically or through genome engineering, results in engineered T cells that more effectively move through and interrogate 3D matrix and tumor volumes. This suggests that engineering cells to better navigate through 3D microenvironments could be part of an effective strategy to enhance efficacy of immune therapeutics.